Pokemon: Crisis Point
by Guardian Kitch
Summary: As Ash ends his challenge of the Sinnoh Pokemon League, a new darkness begins to rise, one the likes of which our heroes have never before known. As pokemon trainers both old and new go about their adventures the world is slowly consumed, none aware of the crisis looming before them. They say love can ignite the stars, but even love may no longer be enough to save the day...
1. Dramatis Personae

**DRAMATIS PERSONAE:**

* * *

**Name: **Ash Ketchum

**Age: **16

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Pallet Town, Kanto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Pikachu

**Career Path: **Pokémon Trainer

* * *

**Name: **Brock

**Age: **21

**Gender**: Male

**Hometown: **Pewter City, Kanto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Onix

**Career Path: **Former Pewter City Gym Leader, Pokémon Breeder

* * *

**Name: **Misty

**Age: **18

**Gender:** Female

**Hometown: **Cerulean City, Kanto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Unknown

**Career Path: **Cerulean City Gym Leader

* * *

**Name: **May

**Age: **14

**Gender: **Female

**Hometown: **Petalburg City, Hoenn region

**Starting Pokémon: **Torchic

**Career Path: **Pokémon Coordinator

* * *

**Name: **Max

**Age: **10

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Petalburg City, Hoenn region

**Starting Pokémon: **Treeko

**Career Path: **Pokémon Trainer

* * *

**Name: **Dawn

**Age: **12

**Gender**: Female

**Hometown: **Twinleaf Town, Sinnoh Region

**Starting Pokémon: **Piplup

**Career Path: **Pokémon Coordinator

* * *

**Name: **Jessie

**Age: **23

**Gender: **Female

**Hometown: **Unknown

**Starting Pokémon: **Ekans

**Career Path: **Pokémon Thief, Team Rocket Member, Pokémon Coordinator

* * *

**Name: **James

**Age: **23

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Unknown

**Starting Pokémon: **Koffing

**Career Path: **Pokémon Thief, Team Rocket Member, Pokémon Trainer

**Name: **Meowth

**Age: **Unknown

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Unknown

**Starting Pokémon: **Not Applicable

**Career Path: **Pokémon Thief, Pokémon Member of Team Rocket

* * *

**Name: **Kitch Kasumi

**Age: **10

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Mahogany Town, Johto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Cyndaquil

**Career Path: **Pokémon Trainer

**Name: **Duran Detreo

**Age: **10

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Cinnabar Island, Kanto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Charmander

**Career Path: **Pokémon Trainer

* * *

**Name: **Elianna Hawkins

**Age: **10

**Gender**: Female

**Hometown: **Mahogany Town, Johto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Chikorita

**Career Path: **Pokémon Trainer, Pokémon Coordinator

* * *

**Name: **Lor Kasumi

**Age: **29

**Gender: **Female

**Hometown: **Mahogany Town, Johto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Sneasel

**Career Path: **Mahogany Town Gym Leader

* * *

**Name: **Jax Kasumi

**Age: **33

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Snowpoint City, Sinnoh region

**Starting Pokémon: **Chikorita

**Career Path: **Pokémon Trainer, Pokémon Guardian Commander

* * *

**Name: **Carth Masters

**Age: **40

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Pastoria City, Sinnoh region

**Starting Pokémon: **Chimchar

**Career Path: **Former Sinnoh League Champion, Current Pokémon Master League Champion

* * *

**Name: **Dread Lord Imperious

**Age: **40

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Unknown

**Starting Pokémon: **Unknown

**Career Path: **Evil Pokémon Mastermind, Pokémon Terrorist

* * *

**Name: **Giovanni

**Age: **45

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Unknown

**Starting Pokémon: **Unknown

**Career Path: **Pokémon Thief, Former Viridian City Gym Leader, Team Rocket Leader

* * *

**Name: **Melody

**Age: **18

**Gender**: Female

**Hometown: **Mahogany Town, Johto region, now residing in Viridian City, Kanto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Eevee

**Career Path:** Pokémon Breeder and former Pokémon Ranger

* * *

**Name: **Ben

**Age: **12

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Cerulean City, Kanto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Mudkip

**Career Path: **WaterPokémon Trainer

* * *

**Name: **Gerald

**Age: **38

**Gender: **Male

**Hometown: **Mahogany Town, Johto region

**Starting Pokémon: **Larvitar

**Career Path: **Pokémon Trainer, Criminal Mastermind

* * *

**ORGANIZATIONS:**

* * *

**Pokémon Guardians: **An organization that was only recently formed, it comprises almost entirely of pokémon trainers and coordinators, all of whom have been trained to solve the most horrific of pokémon-involved crimes, replacing the disbanded Pokémon G-men. No one but Guardian members know the location of their hidden headquarters. This group operates mainly in Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, and Hoenn, with a much more limited presence in the Termina region.

* * *

**Team Rocket: **A secretive group of pokémon thieves and criminals, they are led by a man named Giovanni. Team Rocket dominates the Kanto and Johto regions, stealing pokémon from trainers and carrying out operations designed to one day give them control of both regions. In addition Team Rocket also has a limited presence in the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions, though there they live in the shadows of Hoenn's Team Aqua and Team Magma and Sinnoh's Team Galactic. No one knows where Giovanni maintains his main headquarters, but in the past Team Rocket has been known to hold minor bases in Saffron City, Viridian City, Goldenrod City, and Mahogany Town, along with other various bases across Kanto and Johto.

* * *

**Regional Pokémon Leagues: **The Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh regions all have their own regional pokémon championship leaguesthat trainers can compete in by collecting badges from various pokémon gyms across each region. At the top of each region's championship league are a group of Elite Four trainers, who in turn serve directly under a fifth trainer, that region's champion. The four elite trainers, in turn, may regularly challenge their respective champion for that title. In both Kanto and Johto the champion is Lance of the former Pokémon G-men, Steven is currently the champion of the Hoenn region, and in Sinnoh the champion is Cynthia.

* * *

**The Pokémon Master League: **Just recently founded, this is a global league that encompasses the regions of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, governing trainers from and in these four regions, including the regional leagues from each region. For trainers to qualify to compete in the Master League trainers must first compete and place in the top twenty in their home leagues. Every year the league championships begin as all others, a massive tournament designed to designate a single winner, who may then challenge the league's Elite Four in an effort to gain a title shot against the league Champion, something often seen as a once-in-a-lifetime shot for many aspiring trainers.

* * *

**The Shadow Guard: **An ultra-secretive organization comprising of criminals and terrorists who are both the top and most evil in their respective fields. This group is led by an evil mastermind who is intelligent and destructive. Focusing on total world domination Shadow Guard operatives leave no witnesses behind, human or pokémon, and no one knows just who are members and who aren't and as such are almost impossible to combat. They leave no one alone and have already made quite a name for themselves in the Termina region, cutting at the already battered and beleaguered Pokémon Rangers, putting them fully on the defensive and forcing them to recall all rangers to the Termina region just to protect that area.


	2. Prelude to Crisis

**Okay, before you begin reading there are a few things you should know about this story. First off, it's a remake of my previous story, _Pokémon: Crisis Point, _which I've since deleted off of this site. This story takes place following Ash's defeat in the Sinnoh League and will, in NO WAY, follow any of the storylines from the _Pokémon: Black & White _series, so if that's what you're looking for you might as well clear out now. **

**With that said, this will be an AdvanceShipping plot, meaning AshxMay. I have several other characters, both main and OC, who will eventually end up together, but Ash and May are the main romantic relationship of the story, even though the storyline itself follows several different characters, again both main and OC.**

**Also, I want everyone to know that though I've given this story an M rating just to be safe, there's a good reason it has that rating, and it's not because of sexual content, though that could possibly change. This deals with dark themes, true evil, so to speak, things not usually found in the Pokémon shows, which makes writing this and keeping it faithful to the characters that much more difficult.**

**Aside from telling you that I do not own _Pokémon, _the only other thing I have to tell you is this: the good guys don't have to win in this storyline. Now, on with the show.**

* * *

**ADDITIONAL STORIES BY **Guardian Kitch**:**

_**Star Wars: Jedi Wasteland**_

_**Star Wars: Shadows of the Force**_

_**How Can I Help You to Say Goodbye?**_

_**Sins of the Father**_

_**Harry Potter and the Labyrinth of Evil**_

* * *

_**Episode 001: Prelude to Crisis**_

{**Location: **Cerulean City, Kanto Region}

Misty, leader of the Cerulean City pokémon gym and rising master of water-type pokémon, couldn't help but let the anger inside of her boil up to the surface as she walked down the streets of her home city, her pink poncho protecting her from the torrents of rain that threatened to flood the city. Overhead the lightening flashed ever more dangerously and the thunder rumbled ever louder as she continued down the street, just outside the city's limits.

The wet gravel of the small road crunched under her feet as she walked forward, her eyes scanning the landscape around her as she tried to find the boy that had gone missing from her gym, her apprentice-in-training so to speak, the boy that was going to cause her hair to turn grey before her twenty-first birthday.

The local weather service had predicted this storm would last several days and had also warned that it would be a very dangerous storm, not one to be outside in. At first it was predicted that storm would veer off to Cerulean's east, but at the last possible second it had turned back to the west, slamming into the city with all of its fury, and for the past hour or so Misty had been working with Officer Jenny and the city's police department to try and get everyone indoors before anybody got hurt. However, as she had secured the pokémon center she'd received the call from one of the gym's staff that Ben, a young water pokémon trainer-in-training, her would-be apprentice, so to speak, had disappeared into the raging monster that was this storm, and he had been gone ever since, and, to make matters worse, he had left all of his pokémon at the gym, which also currently served as his home.

She had checked all through town but no matter who she talked to or where she went there was no sign of the young trainer, and so here she was, checking out the last possible spot he could be at…Lake Cerulean, the lake just north of town, which was where the gravel road she was on would lead her to.

She growled as she picked up her speed, fighting the sheets of wind-driven rain that battled against her; if he was by some chance at the lake, during this weather, she would kill him, and she'd do it without hesitation.

As if a warning sign from a supreme being, a bolt of lightning cut through the cool October sky and slashed through a large oak tree next to her, sending it crashing to the ground, right towards her. Misty yelled as she realized the danger she was in, and with the accident fueling her anger and determination she jumped back, backpedaling until she was confident she was out of the way.

"I'm going to kill that boy when I find him!" She roared, running and jumping onto the tree, and as she vaulted off of the top of the fallen oak she ran forward once more, now running faster than ever.

After several more minutes of continuous running she could feel her body beginning to tire out, but as the lake's entrance came into view she reminded herself that she could not stop now, not when she was so close to her target.

Her legs sore and on fire from all of the running she'd done she dashed past the entry gate to the lake and continued running down to the main peer, where, to her dismay, she saw a large group of people standing, the group as a whole looking out onto the water.

"What's going on?" Misty asked in a raised voice as she approached. "You're all supposed to be indoors, where it's safe!"

"Sorry," One of the women closest to her said. "But when the storm blew in a little boy got knocked into the water and the currents swept him away from the shore. Your friend, Ben, went in after him but now he's stuck too."

"That stupid boy, I'm going to kill him when I rescue him!" She roared, the anger she had been feeling now stronger than it'd ever been in her life. "Gyarados, I choose you!" She shouted, tossing one of her poké balls into raging lake. A small flash of white light just under the wavy surface indicated that her pokémon had left its confines, and moments later the large water-type dragon-like pokémon's head pierced the water's surface, waiting for his trainer to climb aboard.

"Call Officer Jenny," She ordered, tossing the woman the radio in her poncho's pocket. "Tell her what's happened."

"Okay." Someone shouted from within the crowd.

"Come on Gyarados, let's go get Ben out of trouble…again, as usual."

Gyarados roared and surged forward, cutting through the choppy waves with impossible ease, still roaring as they moved away from the relative safety of the shore.

"Let me know if you see anything." Misty shouted to her pokémon as she looked around, waiting for a sign from Ben or the victim he would-be rescuing.

It was another several minutes before she finally got the sign she was looking for, a sign that came in the form of Ben's head struggling to stay above the lake's raging waves.

"Okay Gyarados, let's get him out of there, though I wish it were otherwise." She said, muttering the last half of the sentence under her breath. As Gyarados came up alongside the boy Misty reached down and summoning all her strength she pulled him onto Gyarados's back.

"Where's the little boy?" She asked, deciding to wait until they were safe before she began her assault on him. "Where did he go?"

"He went under, but he went too fast for me to get him…I'm sorry Misty, I failed."

"Shut up and take this." Misty ordered, taking her poncho off and throwing it over Ben's head. She grabbed another of her poké balls and made it larger. Before Ben could object Misty jumped into the water head first, diving down deep under the raging waves, releasing a large, purple star-shaped pokémon as she continued to dive, and grabbing onto her beloved Starmie she continued to sink deeper into the lake.

As it got so dark she could barely see she noticed a human-shaped silhouette dead ahead of her, and betting that it was the boy she was trying to rescue she increased her speed, Starmie swimming ever faster into the lake's depths, and in mere moments Misty had a hold of the boy's hands and the trio were ascending back to the top of the lake, the underbelly of Gyarados becoming visibly illuminated by the vicious flashes of lightening.

Her lungs felt like exploding as they broke the water's surface, taking gulps of the wet Cerulean air as Gyarados swam over to them, Ben reaching down to help her get the little boy onto Gyarados's back.

"Let's get back to shore Gyarados." Misty ordered, choosing to ignore Ben until she was sure she could look at him without wanting to kill him, something she suspected would take a _very_ long time.

She handed the boy to Ben, who held him firmly in his arms as Misty checked his vitals, which alarmed her so much she began administering CPR, trying to get his heart beating before the damage became irreversible.

"Come on," She ordered silently, her voice barely audible as she continued to depress the boy's chest, putting her lips to his and breathing air by force into his body. "Come on, don't die on me."

As the main pier began to come into view the boy finally began to breath as he coughed up water that had been trapped in his lungs, and smiling now she took the boy from Ben and held him as his body's major organs came back online, having so narrowly avoided death.

She could see the blue and red flashing lights of Officer Jenny's police bike fast approaching them as they made contact with the pier, at last safely back on land, one of the rare times Misty was glad to be off the water.

"Misty!" Officer Jenny shouted, out of her police car and running towards them at full speed. "Is everyone okay?"

"For now." Misty growled, glaring sideways at Ben, who was dripping wet and standing just behind her. She handed Jenny the little boy as his mother rushed up to them and then turned to Ben.

"Get back to the gym, now."

"But Misty-"

"I SAID GET BACK TO THE GYM, NOW, BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND AND USE YOU FOR TARGET PRACTICE DURING TOMORROW'S TRAINING SESSION!"

"On my way, ma'am." He muttered, turning and walking away from her, his head lowered in obvious shame and guilt, and though on a usual basis Misty would feel sorry for him and bad for what she had done this time none of those feelings were present, but instead all she felt was anger and disappointment towards him.

It was almost ten o' clock that night before Misty was finished with her duties, making sure everyone was inside and safe from the ever-fiercer storm, and when she entered the gym she was soaking wet, her protective rain poncho probably floating on the far side of Lake Cerulean by now, and it was almost an hour later before she was out of the shower and wrapped in a warm, fuzzy pink towel in her bedroom and studying herself carefully in the mirror. She had been thinking ever since she'd left to start her search for Ben as to what his punishment should be, and as she let the towel fall off of her and she began dressing herself in her pajamas she couldn't decide whether or not she should kill him, ban him from the gym from here on out or…she just couldn't decide what she should do to him.

Sighing and shaking her head she pulled the top of her pajamas over her bare torso and began buttoning the bright pink shirt slowly, trying to draw out her decision for as long as possible.

However, the knock at her door ended that, and shouting for the visitor to enter she ran her hands through her short red hair one more time and then turned around to confront young Ben.

"I just want to say I'm sorry about earlier." He began without preamble. "I know that what I did was st-"

"Shut up." Misty ordered, cut him off. "What you did was not only stupid but it was reckless, it was suicidal. You could have gotten not only me but yourself killed, along with an innocent little boy."

"I just did what I t-"

"Ben, you should have known just by the weather that you wouldn't be able to successfully rescue that kid, and it wasn't smart for you to leave your pokémon behind here at the gym; maybe if you'd taken them with you you'd have pulled that rescue off before I got there. Did you not think about what would happen if you jumped in that lake after him?"

"I thought I could do it." He confessed. "And I didn't take any of my pokémon with me because I didn't want to risk their wellbeing."

"Oh, so you didn't want to risk your pokémon and their lives, yet you were willing to risk my life, your life, and an innocent child's life? Ben, does that even make sense to you?"

"I-"

"Ben, you're my friend and I've done all I can do to help you become a better water pokémon trainer. We have spent countless hours training your pokémon to be as strong as they can possibly be and yet they've made almost no progress; your Vaporeon still can't swim and Marshtomp doesn't know a single water-type attack. I don't think there's much more you can learn here Ben."

"Misty, please don't do this." He gasped, desperation fully audible in his voice. "I love water pokémon and you're the only person I know who can teach me how to be a great water pokémon trainer."

"Ben, there's nothing else you can learn here."

"No, you can't do this Misty, please, don't do this just because of one stupid mistake."

"Ben, I don't see any other choice." Misty said. "However, I'm going to get some sleep before I make my final decision. In the meantime, you get some sleep; I'll come talk to you in the morning with my decision."

"Yes, ma'am." He said, offering a slight bow as he turned and walked out of the room, leaving her alone once again.

"I wish I knew what to do." She murmured, sitting down at her desk and placing her head in her arms, her mind racing as it tried to decide on the best course of action.

_"Ring ring ring, phone call, phone call. Ring ring ring, phone call, phone call." _The video phone in front of her began singing, and when she looked on the screen and saw that it was coming from nearby Pewter City her mood lifted slightly; at least there would be some happiness on this day.

_"How is everything at the Cerulean Gym?" _Her old friend, Brock, asked as his face came over the screen of the video phone moments later.

"Can I please leave now?" Misty asked jokingly as she sat down in front of the phone.

_"Surely it can't be that bad."_

"We're at the beginning of a storm that's supposed to last for at least four days, maybe more, and I just got done helping make sure everyone's out of the storm."

_"That's good, though I can tell there's more going on than that."_

"I had to rescue a little boy and Ben from Lake Cerulean." Misty sighed. "I don't know how much longer I can handle him."

_"That's the boy your training as your apprentice, right?"_

"_Was _training, is more like it." Misty said. "After tonight I don't know if I can or should continue training him."

_"So your just giving up on him?"_

"Brock, I've been training him for over a year now, since two months after you left to go find Ash in Hoenn. Besides, he's just not trying hard enough. His Vaporeon can't swim and his Marshtomp can't use a single water attack; all it knows is Tackle and Mud Bomb."

_"That is weird and unusual," _Brock admitted. _"But it's not unheard of. After all," _He said, smiling again. _"Who was it who once had a Psyduck that couldn't swim and could only attack when suffering a severe headache?"_

"Don't remind me." Misty said at the memory of her problem pokémon. "But even still, after I put enough time in properly training Psyduck he learned how to swim and now he can at least use Water Gun and Scratch without us waiting for a severe headache first."

_"Have you tried helping his Vaporeon and Marshtomp in the same ways you trained Psyduck?"_

"All the time, Brock, and it still doesn't work."

_"Not all pokémon are the same, you know?" _Brock said. _"Even pokémon of the same species grow and learn at a different pace; you can't expect his Marshtomp to learn water attacks like your Psyduck did, and you can't expect Vaporeon to learn how to swim the same way Psyduck did either."_

"I don't even know _why_ they can't swim or attack right." Misty said. "I've checked everything I can from textbooks to journals written by various professors of water pokémon; I've done everything I can and still nothing I do will work."

_"Have you checked with Professor Oak yet?" _Brock asked. _"I'm sure he could come up with some kind of idea as to why Ben's water pokémon can't swim or use water attacks."_

"No, I didn't think about that." Misty stated, surprised by her own admission. "But, in the meantime I don't suppose you have any idea what could be wrong, do you?"

_ "To be honest with you Misty it could be anything. It could be trauma suffered when they were born, it could be the fact that their trainer isn't training them correctly, it could even be that they're just not at a high enough level to learn the proper attacks."_

"But Mudkip usually learns at least Water Gun before it evolves into Marshtomp, doesn't it?"

_"True, but remember what I said, Misty. Even pokémon of the same species grow and learn differently, and Mudkip could have evolved into Marshtomp earlier than normal. Besides level environment and real-life events can also induce evolution in pokémon."_

"This is giving me one of Psyduck's headaches." She groaned, running her hands through her hair.

_"Misty, don't be too hard on him. After all, I'm sure he was just doing what he felt was best; haven't you been there before? And besides, remember Ash when he first started out? When I watched him carry Pikachu out of Pewter Gym after our first battle I never would have thought that he would have become such an accomplished trainer, yet look where he is now."_

"Yeah, but Ash has always had a natural talent for training and befriending pokémon; Ben has none of that talent."

_"At least, none that you can see. Misty, I think Ben should talk to Professor Oak soon; like I said before I'm sure Professor Oak could find out why Vaporeon can't swim and Marshtomp can't use water-type attacks."_

"I didn't even think about calling Professor Oak." Misty admitted again, trying to figure out just how she had managed to pull that off.

_"So see, there's still hope for him." _Brock said, smiling. _"Sorry Misty but I've got to get going; I'm about to head to Pallet Town and see what Ash plans on doing next. I want to get there as soon as possible, before Max's party begins."_

"Just another chance for you to meet more Nurse Joys and Officer Jennies." Misty said jokingly to her friend, though for some odd reason she felt sort of jealous as she spoke those words.

_"Hmm…yeah." _Brock said, still smiling. _"Bye Misty, I'll try to keep in touch." _

"Thanks Brock, talk to you later." Misty whispered softly as the screen went black.

Meanwhile, as Misty was talking with her old friend, Ben was making the hardest decision of his life, a decision that now felt like it was the only one he could make. He had risked the life of Cerulean City's gym leader by risking his own to save a kid from drowning, and while he had done what he felt was right he had also been stupid and reckless, this he'd known the moment he'd broken the surface of the water in that storm-torn lake, and he knew with full certainty that Misty was going to kick him out of the gym; it was a fate that was all but etched in stone.

Ben shook his head as he yanked a suitcase out from under his bed and began throwing all of his clothes into it; he'd not wait for her to send him out but instead he'd bow out gracefully, while the option was still open to him. What he would do next, where he would go, was an unknown but he would no longer waste Misty's time training a lost case like him.

"Where do you think you're going Ben?" A female voice asked from the doorway, and as he looked up to see Misty watching him his blood ran cold; he hadn't expected her talk with her old friend to go on longer than it had.

"I'm leaving, now, instead of waiting for you to banish me from this facility."

'You're leaving now, in this weather…did you not learn anything earlier?"

"Look Leader Misty, I speak these words with full knowledge of their consequences and I speak them with full confidence; I am a lost cause, always have been and forever shall be, and so it is that I shall save you from wasting any more time."

"Ben, you're stupid." Misty said bluntly. "That storm is too strong and dangerous for you to go out into it. You've not made any progress because you're…_I'm_…focusing too much on your failure and not enough on the problem itself. That, though, is going to change. As your gym leader I am ordering you to get some sleep and be up at nine in the morning. We're going to call an old friend of mine and figure out why your pokémon are having these troubles, and then we're going to fix it."

"But ma'am-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY EXCUSES!" Misty roared. "I WANT YOU TO DO WHAT I TELL YOU, SO GET TO BED!"

"Yes ma'am." Ben said immediately, rushing to comply with her orders before she got even angrier; he'd seen her mad enough times in the past to know she wasn't joking around, and he wasn't stupid enough to think that he could stand up to the gym leader.

* * *

{**Location: **Pallet Town, Kanto Region}

Ash Ketchum, an accomplished pokémon trainer who was all of his sixteen years of age, was not usually one to be up any time before noon when he was in the middle of one of his rare visits home between adventures, but this morning wasn't a usual morning at home for him.

He'd trained for over a year, working and fighting his way to the Sinnoh League, working hand-in-hand with his beloved pokémon to become one team, one unit, but in the end they just hadn't been good enough, coming in at fourth place to an extremely powerful trainer named Tobias in a battle that he'd been told was nothing if not epic, his team having performed famously against the trainer's duo of Darkrai and Latios, a similar curse having also befallen Dawn in the Sinnoh region's Grand Festival, who'd placed better than Ash, coming in second place in her event.

As he watched the sun's first rays begin to slowly appear on the far horizon and felt the cool air that was usual for middle October he couldn't help but wonder where he was going wrong. He'd collected the gym badges from every major gym in all four of the major regions, but not once had he been able to emerge victorious in any of the regional league championships; his victory in the Sinnoh League had been his best performance yet.

Ash slammed his right fist into the fence post in agitation, unable to control himself as he recalled his most recent failure, failure at winning the Sinnoh League. From day one, for as long as he could remember, he had dreamt of nothing less than becoming a pokémon master, but once again he'd failed in his chase after destiny, and this failure dimmed his joy over the fact that Paul had been eliminated long before he had, something that, on a normal occasion, would have him jumping over the moon.

"Ash?" A feminine voice asked, but Ash was so deep in his thoughts and misery he failed to hear her as she came up behind him.

He loved each and every pokémon he'd ever captured, from Pikachu to his long-gone Butterfree and Primape to Charizard and his newly-evolved Quilava…he'd even come to be able to tell each of his 30 Tauros apart and what they liked and didn't like; from day one he'd cared for his pokémon like a father would for his sons, and he'd taken measures some might considered radical in order to ensure the health of each and every one of his pokémon, but still he was not a pokémon master.

"Ash?" The girl asked again, and again Ash Ketchum was too caught up in his own mind to hear her.

Could Paul have been correct? Ash wondered as he watched the son at last appear over the horizon. Could Ash be too soft with his pokémon to become a pokémon master? That and more was what Paul had told him after the Veilstone City native had been eliminated from the Sinnoh Championship, eliminated at Ash's very own hands to boot! And yet, even as Ash and his friends rejoiced at his victory Paul had come up to him, looking ever so cool in defeat, and he had told Ash that he would never become a pokémon master as long as he continued to treat his pokémon like pets and friends instead of the fighting machines they really were.

"Ash, are you okay?" The oh-so familiar voice asked, a voice that Ash had missed for well over a year, a voice he had spent so much time secretly wishing would make a quick return to him, and yet, his brain had so little desire to hear her it continued to shut that voice out.

_'Pokémon are our friends and our partners.' _One voice in his head said, sounding a lot like him. _'If we don't respect them and love them, if we don't trust and believe in them then they will never, could never, trust us as their trainers, and then we'll never even make it to the league championships, much less become a pokémon master.'_

_**'Pokémon are not our friends.' **_A second voice said, this one taking on Paul's arrogant voice, his cold and calculating voice. _**'Pokémon are creatures with a mystical and extraordinary power, and it is a trainers job, his duty, to capture strong pokémon and use their power to capture even stronger pokémon. No one can ever become a pokémon master if he can't capture and own the power of the planet's strongest pokémon; if a pokémon can't utilize its strength without weeks and months of training then they deserve to be in the wild for weaker trainers to capture and **_**try **_**to make it to a regional championship; if a pokémon has to be trained for more than a single day then that pokémon isn't worth it."**_

Which voice was right and which one was not? Ash asked himself as his brain again failed to register the sound of the girl calling his name.

The frustration again built up to levels that were just too much for the young pokémon trainer and to relieve it he slammed both fists twice into the fence in front of him, though instead of having the desired effect he'd been looking forward to it simply made both of his hands explode with pain.

"Ash…are you okay?" The girl's voice asked, this time with a little worry and fear in her voice, both caused undoubtedly by the very uncharacteristic actions he'd just shown her.

At last his ears and brain both realized that the girl was behind him, though so surprised was he that when he turned around he was still upset and angry about his most recent defeat, and he was barely able to catch himself before he raised his hands to attack.

"Oh, hi May." Ash said, and just by seeing his face a vast majority of the anger he'd been recently feeling and showing disappeared, replaced by a smaller amount of guilt.

"Still feeling down about losing the Sinnoh League huh?" May asked, her voice somehow containing the perfect amount of compassion and understanding, both of which Ash needed so much. "Come on Ash, don't worry about it, we all lose sometimes." May continued, leaning up next to Ash on the fencepost.

"Easy for you to say." Ash said with a brief snort. "You _won _your Grand Festival."

"I only won because Drew's Roserade couldn't power up its Solarbeam attack before the time ran out; if he'd managed to connect there would have been no way Wartortle could have gone on afterwards."

"No May, you're a great coordinator and you deserve to be a top coordinator; you're a better coordinator than I am a trainer…maybe this is a sign I should give up and do something else."

"Wow Ash, thanks." May said, obviously surprised by Ash's words; sure he'd told her she was good before, in not-so-many words, but this was the first time, he knew, he'd ever come out and told her so just like that. "Oh come on Ash!" May said sternly, taking a tone he usually heard from Misty. "You're one of the best pokémon trainers I've ever met; my dad thinks you could be a gym leader with no problems, and he says you're far strong than him, and _that's_ not something he says about just any trainer."

"Then why did I lose the championship…again?"

"Because Ash, you're good but on that day your opponent was stronger; that's why you keep training, work on your flaws and become stronger."

"You think so?" Ash asked hesitantly. "You don't think I'm too soft on my pokémon?"  
"Ash, no one could ever treat anyone as good as you do your pokémon…wait a minute…are you letting what that Paul guy said get to you?"

"No." Ash lied, but May shook her head as Ash realized she knew he was lying.

"Ash, you're not perfect, no one is, and there will always be someone better than you, but you never give up." Her voice quivered. "_You _have never given up, never, not as long as I've known you, and that's one of the things I lo-" May stopped as she realized what she was about to say. "That's one of the things I like most about you, Ash, so please, don't give up now."

"Yeah, you're right May!" Ash said, his confidence and excitement again overriding his disappointment. "Now, on to victory!"

"Umm Ash?" May asked, stopping him in his tracks. "Where, exactly, do you plan on going, especially in your pajamas?"

"Huh?" Ash asked, stopping and looking down at himself, realizing all too late he was wearing the new pajamas his mother had bought for him.

"Oh yeah, good point." He conceded as May began to furiously giggle at the look on her friend's face.

Meanwhile, as the two friends continued to talk as the sun rose ever higher over the horizon, not knowing it, they were being watched by two women, their mothers, smiles on their faces as they observed their children.

"Oh, I'm so happy for those two." Delia said as she turned to cooking breakfast once more.

"If only one of them would make the first move things would work out so much better." Caroline said, joining Delia at the stove. "They do look so cute together, and they remind me so much of Norman and myself when we first met."

"And Ash is so much like his father it's not funny." Delia agreed. "It's like they were meant for each other." As she finished speaking, Delia sighed. "Which means he's so stubborn and oblivious to what's obvious that it'll be years before he tells her how he feels, and that's _after_ he figures it out."

"I think May's already figured it out." Caroline responded. "But she's so afraid of rejection she'll wait until he says something."

Together both women again sighed.

At that moment the door opened and Ash led May into the kitchen, immediately making his way towards the food cooking slowly on the stove in front of his mother.

"I don't think so young man!" She reprimanded her son sternly, not a trace of the recent conversation in her voice.. "You're still in your pajamas, so run upstairs and get dressed for breakfast."

Ash's face fell, causing both May and her mother to laugh as he turned and made his way for his bedroom.

"So, May, you're up early." Caroline commented. "Just admiring the, uh, sites?"

Delia had to fight the urge to laugh at the other woman's words, but she was able to keep from letting a laugh slip.

"No, I can't sleep." She replied, as though she'd completely missed her mother's insinuation. "I won the Grand Festival in Johto but I'm still torn between going to Sinnoh to compete in the Festival there or try for the Kanto Grand Festival; and then there's the choice of again competing in the Hoenn Grand Festival."

"Well, Max is going to get his beginner's pokémon later today so maybe you should talk with him; after all, I bet he'd love to travel together with you to start out his own journey."

"Hey, yeah. Where is the little pest anyways?"

"May, it's just past six in the morning; he's probably still asleep, like most kids usually are at this time of day."

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

"You know, May," Delia added, her voice casual as she tended to the massive breakfast she and Caroline were preparing. "Ash doesn't have any plans at the moment; perhaps you could persuade him to go with you and Max on your next adventure."

"Yeah…but Mrs. Ketchum, hasn't Ash already been through Kanto and Sinnoh?"

"That may be true, May," Caroline answered calmly, catching onto the other woman's train of thought. "But perhaps he would like to re-challenge one of the regional leagues, seeing as how close he keeps coming to winning one. Kanto might be a nice change of pace for him."

"Yeah..." The girl trailed off, obviously thinking hard on what the two women were telling her.

"What's wrong, dear?" Her mother asked kindly, now more than just slightly curious as to whether or not she could get her daughter to admit her feelings for her friend.

"Nothing." May lied, her face changing as she forced a false smile to overtake her face. "I'm just excited to be starting a new adventure, that's all. I…ummm…I think I'm going to go take a shower before breakfast."

"Okay honey." Caroline answered, refusing to give in and laugh like she so desperately wanted to. Once the girl was out of earshot, she turned to Delia, immediately catching the other woman's eye, and together, as though they shared the same mind, the both opened their mouths.

"She's figured it out."

* * *

{**Location:** New Bark Town, Johto Region}

Lor watched from the window of her hotel room as her son walked off into the distance, undoubtedly excited about the big day ahead of him as he made his way through town.

The newly appointed leader of the Mahogany Town pokémon gym, she had been a pokémon trainer since the day she'd turned ten, but even now, at the age of twenty-nine, she could still remember how she'd felt the day she'd left home with her own pokémon to begin her life as a pokémon trainer, so she knew all too well how her son felt, but she also knew that the young boy was extremely capable of holding his own in the art of the pokémon battle, having all but been her corporeal shadow for the past several years, and as such she knew he would do just fine.

_"Sn Sneasel?" _A voice asked from behind, belong to a black bipedal pokémon with sharp, white claws and two small black ears atop its head, the left one a dark shade of pink and much longer than the other.

"Yes Sneasel, I'll be just fine; it's just hard to believe that he's already grown up and getting ready to leave home. It _will _be quiet without him around, that's for sure." She answered, wiping a tear from her eyes as she spoke. "He's my only child, and now he's getting ready to spread his wings and fly. I'm going to feel lost without him."

_"Sneasel Sne Sneasel." _Her pokémon, the pokémon her mother had given her as her starting pokémon, said confidently, running up to hug her leg tightly.

"Thank you Sneasel, you've always been there for me my friend, and I _do_ appreciate it. Now come on, let's get our stuff packed; once Kitch has his pokémon from Professor Elm and is on his way we'll head back to Mahogany Town."

_"Sneasel?"_

_"Sneasel?"_

"Yes, Professor Elm should be finished with his examinations of our newest friend by the time we ge-"

She was interrupted by the sound of her Pokégear on her wrist beeping, a sound that told her she had a phone call, and when she looked down she was stunned to see that her caller was none other than her husband.

"Hey Jax, I didn't expect to hear from you so soon baby, what's going on?"

_"Lor," _He said, his voice sounding urgent. _"Is Kitch with you in the hotel room?"_

"No, he just went outside, why?"

_"Are you there?"_

"Yeah, I'll be here until he gets back, and then we're heading over to Professor Elm's lab. Why honey, what's wrong?"

_"Just stay there, I'm pulling up to your hotel now."_

And when Lor looked out her window again she found to her surprise that her husband was telling the truth, and silently she smiled and continued watching as he stepped out of the passenger side of the bright yellow cab and walked around the front of the car, stopping long enough to peer inside the driver side window and say something to the person or people inside of the vehicle, and then, as the cab sat where it was he turned and walked into the building.

Realizing that her Pokégear was still on she shut it off and turned towards the door, waiting for the door to open and the older Jax to walk through it, which occurred less than two minutes later.

Lor moved towards her spouse, and while she didn't break off the hug that had become instinct for her after so many years she did slow down long enough to study his face carefully, a face that instantly made her more worried to see him than relieved.

"What's wrong?" She asked, deciding to get right to the point. Jax was four years her senior and almost as many times as big than she was. A muscular and powerful man, a true force to be reckoned with, he had a presence that was imposing and frightening, hiding the soft, gentle, and loving nature he possessed inside of his soul. The last time she'd seen him his rugged face was proud, handsome, and alive with energy and life, but now as he broke the embrace and she looked up at him his unshaven, rugged face was tired, worried, and…beaten down.

"My last case took a turn for the worst." He said, sighing as he sat down on the bed. "Lor, I've worked for the Pokémon Guardians for almost all my life, ever since I competed in my first Pokémon League tournament, but never in all my life has a mission like the one I'm on now…it's beyond sad and pathetic, Lor. Never, in all my years, have I seen anything so…_revolting_." The last word came out as an angry growl, a sound she'd never before heard come from her husband.

"What happened?"

"Honey, what I'm about to say to you…I never said it, okay?"

"Sure."

"For the past month now we've been working a case that's been almost impossible to solve. We have evidence that tells us something big is on the way, something bad."

"What is that something?"

"We're not fully sure, but we've been monitoring an increase in pokémon-involved crimes, and not just thefts and poaching either, but kidnappings, racketeering, even murder."

"Pokémon killing their trainers?" Lor asked, taking a stab at what he was trying to tell her, but he shook his head.

"People killing trainers _and _their pokémon and leaving gang-like tags on the now-empty poké balls."

"No way!" Lor shouted, outraged at the mere thought of what her husband was saying. "Wh-who could be behind this, Team Rocket?"

"No." Jax snorted. "Team Rocket steal pokémon from their trainers and at best are guilty for low-level racketeering, but whoever's behind this is much, much more powerful and far more dangerous than Team Rocket. We've been working so hard to capture anyone associated with this gang, but they leave no witnesses, human or otherwise."

"You were right; this _is _downright revolting."

"That's not the half of it, Lor." Jax responded with a deep, sad sigh. "We finally managed to find someone who was actually an officer-level member of this crime syndicate, which in turn led us to Mahogany Town. Almost a week ago, we finally raided the suspect's home."

"Who was it?"

"Gerald-"

"_Our _Gerald, the repair shop owner, our great friend?" Lor asked, unable to comprehend that their old friend, a tall skinny man who kept to himself working in his home repair shop, being a cold-blooded criminal on the scale of what her husband was telling him.

"Lor, what we knew, what we _thought _we knew about Gerald, was as off target as possible. We raided his house late last night, and from the moment we stepped foot on his property it was an uphill battle; he's been expecting us for days, and he and his men turned that place into a fortress; if it wasn't for General Harris and his team of Salamence taking out their defensive pokémon from the air at the last minute we'd never have made it in, though they all escaped; we captured no one…well, almost no one."

"You at least got Gerald, right?"

"No, he escaped, like the blasted coward he is!" Jax roared, suddenly unable to help it as his anger exploded, coursing through his body like a powerful flood.

"Then who-"

"Once the battle was over we began investigating his property, looking for any clue as to where he might've been going or who's above him in this thing."

"What'd you find?"

"Nothing."

"_Who_ did you find?"

"We found a small shack in the woods behind his main home. Inside, alone, was a little girl, same age as Kitch."

"Gerald has a daughter? That's impossible! Savannah's been dead for-"

"A little over nine years now."

"I-"

"She was chained up, to be a bed, Lor, alone, with clothes so ragged she was practically naked. It appears she'd been chained there for several days. She was severely malnourished, dehydrated, and so dirty you couldn't see her skin. The living conditions weren't fit for the lowliest creature, much less a human being. She'd been abused, perhaps even tortured, cut off from all human contact."

"Where is she now?"

"We've been keeping her aboard the _Marauder_ since her rescue. Jessica's been taking care of her; it's only been a week and she's completely unrecognizable." He said, laughing, surprising Lor with how genuine and happy it sounded. "She looks like she's been raised by a decent family, and she has glasses now so she can properly see, and her body's already on the rebound, making her look more like a ten year-old girl as opposed to an overgrown infant. Her motor skills, which were almost nonexistent, are now about where they should be."

"Sounds like your sister's at the top of her game."

"Yeah, well, there's still one problem that Jessica _hasn't _been able to fix."

"Yeah?"

Jax nodded his head. "I'm sure she knows how, but the girl hasn't said a single word since we took custody of her."

"Post-Traumatic Stress?"

Jax again nodded his head. "Jessica's almost confident of it."

"So then, what are you going to do with the girl…no, wait, let me guess. She's got no living relatives, so, to keep her from being an orphaned foster child, you want _us _to adopt and finish raising her."

"Something along those lines, yeah…wait, how-"

"Jax, I've known you for years, _and _you're my husband; I know you better than a Chansey knows its egg. I don't see any problems with it…I could use the company at the gym, now that Kitch is-"

"That's actually, uh, _not _what I was getting at?"

"Oh?"

"She's ten years old, Lor. Legally, she's old-"

"You're serious?"

Jax nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm serious."

"That's stupid!" Lor answered. "Jax, this girl, by the sound of it, has been completely locked away from all Human interaction, and yet you want to send her out into the world, alone, with the maniac who's responsible for this still on the loose, when she's still _mute_? Did you hit your head during that raid?"

"No, of course not; I'd never send her out on her own."

"Then what-" And Lor found herself suddenly gasping as her eyes went so wide they were on the verge of escaping their sockets. _"No._ No, Jax, not even you-"

"She'll be safe with-"

"He's just a boy, Jax, a ten year-old prepubescent boy who's about to get his _first _pokémon to start out on his pokémon journey. He's going to have a hard enough time caring for himself, let alone a little girl."

"Look, Lor, Gerald _will _end up coming after her. Cut off from all other Human interaction or not, she's still too great a loose end for him and his masters to ignore."

"Exactly!" Lor responded, unable to believe what her husband was suggesting. "She needs to be with one of us-"

"Which is _exactly_ where Gerald will begin his search for her. My entire team's searching for him, but until we find him she'll be in a great deal of danger. At least if she's with Kitch she'll be somewhat safe and on the move, making it much more difficult for them to find her. Plus, and Jessica agrees with me on this one, if she's on an adventure with Kitch she'll make up lost time when it comes to interacting with others. And, if she has pokémon with her, and she's with Kitch, _should _Gerald track her down, they'll be equipped to defend themselves."

"Jax, Gerald and his comrades will have decades of experience over both Kitch and this child, even if they combine their efforts-"

"I'm going to give her a PokéGear, just like Kitch, so if anything does come up they can get help immediately. I'm also going to divert Pokémon Guardian resources so that help can arrive as soon as possible, wherever they might be."

"That might sound good on paper, Jax, but let's be honest; alone, Johto is a massive region, never mind Kanto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh."

"But Kitch's is beginning-"

"Think of who we're talking about."

Jax paused, and a moment later, he began to chuckle. "Good point; he _is _your son."

"And yours." Lor added with a sigh. "I don't like this, Jax; it's too big a risk."

"I know, Lor, believe me, I know, all too well, and I'm not really that wild about carelessly throwing Kitch into the line of fire either, but I stand by what I've said."

"True, but if Gerald has to actually work to find his daughter, he's more likely to make a mistake out in the open, where you can take him down more easily."

"Huh?"

"You're not fooling me, Jax. You're using this girl, and our _son_, our only child, as bait to lure Gerald and his allies out into the open."

"General Harris and I did agree it was a possibility, but I promise, that wasn't what we were thinking."

"I still don't like it Jax, but I suppose you're right. Besides, I _would _feel better if Kitch wasn't alone."

"Even if it _is _with a girl and no one else."

Lor, in response, snorted. "Please, even if he _was _aware of the opposite sex in that way, I don't think a relationship with a boy's at the top of this girl's to-do list…speaking of which, what's her name?"

"Elianna."

"So, what's next?"

"She's out in the cab. I'm going to get-"

"You just assumed I'd say yes?"

"You're not the only one who knows her spouse well, love." Jax laughed, causing Lor to follow suit as she embraced her husband.

"I'll bring her up and while you get to know her I'm going to go find our son."

"For what?"

"If we're going to put him into enemy crosshairs he has a right to know why."

"Are you sure it's wise, telling him her history. He's not exactly Mr. Sensitive and Understanding-"

"He's a typical boy, Lor; that doesn't make him evil or uncaring. Besides, I think you've rubbed off on him more than you know."

"For his sake, I hope you're right."

Jax nodded his head. "So do I."

Kitch Kasumi, meanwhile, was looking out across the vast ocean, so excited about his new adventure that he felt as though he might explode at any moment. For as long as he could remember, he'd wanted nothing more than to become a pokémon master, always daydreaming about the day he could at last choose his first pokémon and leave on his own adventure, with only his pokémon for company.

With a large katana sheathed and slung over his back, he was dressed in black pants, a deep, short-sleeved blue-and-black camouflaged shirt covering a jet black long-sleeve shirt, black belted boots, and black, fingerless gloves, he was completely ready to begin his new journey, waiting only on his mother's orders to follow her to Professor Elm's pokémon laboratory.

However, deep down, inside of the place he always pretended never existed, he was also worried, frightened. He loved both of his parents and had always been there at their sides, protected from anything that might want to hurt him. Now, however, he was preparing to leave, to go out into the world all on his own, with only whatever pokémon he captured to protect him from any harm that might befall him. He wasn't backing out, of course, not by a long shot; he'd always charged headlong into everything he did, and a pokémon journey would be no different. However, he wasn't a complete, stupid fool either; brave as he was, he did acknowledge that the danger was very much real.

And then he smiled, unable to help himself as he silently laughed at the fears plaguing his depths. He was the son of a gym leader and a Pokémon Guardian. Since before he could even walk he'd been studying the art of pokémon battles, developing and honing his own tactics, prepared for the day he'd leave at last leave home with his own beginner's pokémon. Failure, he reminded himself, was simply out of the picture.

"Hey boy." A deep, masculine voice called out, cutting through the silent early morning air like a Charizard's Flamethrower through hot butter. Immediately, moving so fast he felt dizzy, Kitch spun around and charged towards the hulking figure he knew to be his father.

"Dad, you came!"

"Well of course I came." The other man laughed. "It's not every day my only child begins his pokémon journey, now is it?"

"But what about work?"

"Nah, this is far more important." Jax answered, bending down to embrace his son, wrapping Kitch up in his massive, powerful arms.

"Thanks dad."

"Always, son, even when you're my age with kids of your own." Jax answered, unable to keep his voice from shaking.

"Dad, is everything okay?"

"Sit down, Kitch." Jax said, motioning to the ground on the side of the cliff that looked out towards the massive ocean. "Come on, son, let's sit…I need to talk to you."

"Umm…okay." Kitch responded, doing as his father ordered, unable to bit down the frightened worry now moving to take over his body.

"You remember my friend, Gerald?"

"Mr. Hawkins?" Kitch asked. "Of course I remember him. Why, is he-"

"He's bad, Kitch."

"Bad as in an awesome pokémon trainer, or bad as-"

"Bad, as in he's now on the Pokémon Guardians' Top Ten Most Wanted list."

"Oh, bad as in evil, okay, got ya. But dad, why are you telling me this. Is he…I dunno…coming after me or something?"

"You remember our talk, about what 'top secret' means?"

"Yeah; it means you never said what you're about to say."

"Good boy. We tried to arrest him last week, but he escaped."

"So he's on the lam."

"Right."

"But why would he come after me?"

"He's not coming after you, son. He's going to be going after his daughter."0

"His…Mr. Hawkins doesn't have a daughter…does he?"

"He does. Her name's Elianna, and she's ten years old."

"I never saw her at school."

"We believe he cut her off from other people, son. She's still recovering, and as far as we know she can't, or won't, talk."

"I feel sorry for her dad, but why are you telling me this?"

"Your mother and I agree that, for now, her best place, since she _is _ten, is to be out on the road on her own pokémon adventure. We were thinking she could travel with you."

"With me?"

Jax nodded his head. "I know it doesn't seem fair, burdening you with this, Kitch, but your mom and I agree it's the best place for her to be."

"Dad, I-"

"Who better to teach her about pokémon than Kitch Kasumi, the son of Mahogany Town's gym leader?"

"But what if her dad finds us alone?"

"We think it'll be a long time before he realizes she's on the move as a pokémon trainer, and by that time we hope to have him in custody."

"And if you don't?"

"Then, son, I'm trusting you to protect her and hold him off until help arrives."

"Do you really think I could fight him and any friends he might have?" Kitch asked, watching his dad's face for any sign that he might be lying.

"I do, Kitch, I do indeed. If any pokémon trainer could delay him until help arrives, I think it'd be you."

Kitch frowned, thinking on the information he was being given, unable to believe what his father was saying.

"I know it doesn't seem fair, son. I know how excited you were about going on your own pokémon adventure alone-"

"It's cool, dad. I mean, really, it's all good." Kitch answered, smiling as he looked over at his father. "If she wants to come with me on my pokémon journey, that's cool…it'll be kinda nice to have someone else for company, even if she _can't _talk. And, should Mr. Hawkins come looking for her, I'll show him what battling a Kasumi's all about."

Jax Kasumi smiled, ruffling his son's hair playfully. "That's my boy."

"Thanks, dad, for believing in me, I mean."

"I foresee you won't become a great pokémon master, son, and I look forward to watching you grow and become more powerful. Now, what do you say we go grab some grub before we meet your mom and Elianna at Professor Elm's."

As Jax stood up and offered a hand to help his son up, Kitch couldn't help but continue thinking on what he'd just heard. He'd been telling the truth when he'd said he wouldn't mind having someone else along on his pokémon journey, but he'd left out the fact that he'd have preferred anyone else over a mute little girl who'd probably act like a total primate, having had no other contact with Humans, that it'd be better having a friend along as opposed to a child he'd have to babysit twenty-four hours a day, all seven days each week.

However, his father had asked him of this favor personally, talking to him like he was a man and not some child starting out on his adventure. Jax Kasumi, the man Kitch had always looked up to as his personal hero, had expressed full confidence in Kitch's yet-to-be-unleashed talents, talents that might well not even exist, and he'd treated him not like his son but like a peer, like a fellow Pokémon Guardian on assignment. Whether or not he'd have chosen it, he accepted it, taking in stride what his father had asked of him. Still, he asked himself again as he walked side-by-side with his father, why did it have to be a _girl_?"

* * *

{**Location:** Unknown underground facility, Unknown location}

_"You wished to see me, Lord Imperious?" _The tall, skinny man asked with a salute as he approached the large screen. Imperious, miles and miles away on a business trip, could feel anger and hatred boiling up inside of him, but knowing that it wouldn't do to show those emotions now he kept them in check, speaking in his usual calm voice.

"Mr. Hawkins, would care to explain to me why the Pokémon Guardians decided to raid your home last night, or more correctly, why they staged an assault on one of my forward command bases?"

_"One of our newer acolytes was out partying and he killed a woman when she refused to dance with him and when the police showed up he fought them off and retreated here, and believing us to be members of the Shadow Guard they called in the Pokémon Guardians."_

"In other words," Imperious said. "You've been exposed to the open. Commander Hawkins, do you know what I do to agents who have been exposed?"

_ "Yes, my lord, I do know."_

"So then, give me one good reason why I shouldn't end your life right now. It would be so easy for me to do, after all."

_"Because my lord, you know where my loyalties lie. I took care of every other member who escaped with me, and I made sure the stupid acolyte who led them to us went last, and he went slowly. We can forge me a new identity and get me knew papers and I can continue being your most loyal servant."_

"Let's get one thing straight." Imperious growled. "Commanders like you are a dime a dozen, and the only reason you're still alive is because I need someone to clean up this mess and I do not wish to deploy more assets into that area, not when the heat is still turned up on us. Was all evidence destroyed before you abandoned the building?"

_"Yes, my lord, it was; we followed all rules to the letter."_

"Very well. I am giving you a second chance but remember well that there will be no third strike for you."

_"Of course, my lord, I am most grateful."_

"Find your daughter and silence her." He ordered. "I don't care if she knew anything or not, she is still a loose end I want tied up, and the same goes for anyone with her."

_"It will be done, my lord."_

"Stay at the safe house on Cianwood Island for a couple of days, allow my intelligence units to get your new identification set up. I will be sending a detachment of acolytes to join you; I expect results, am I understood?"

_"You are, my lord."_

"Then you are dismissed, and I would advise you not to fail me again."

And before the failed man could say another word the screen went blank, leaving Imperious alone to his thoughts.

He had once been among the greatest pokémon trainers in the world, until an up and coming hotshot had beat him in a fluke of a match, leaving Imperious to be discarded and forgotten by the world, broken and defeated, a king forced off of his throne. After years of planning he had at last launched his secret organization, the Shadow Guards, with the goal of ruling the world very soon, and now he was so close to success he could taste it; even the mess made last night would soon would soon be irrelevant, for to the rest of the world he still presented a respectable face, a man among men, and that would ultimately give him all he wanted and much, much more, and those who would condemn him would meet their destiny.

Suddenly his screen blinked into life once more, this time revealing a young man wearing armored robes and a mask much like his own.

_"My lord, forgive my tardiness in making my report."_

"It matters not, Lord Vector, I was conducting damage control from last night's attack on our base in Mahogany Town."

_"The Mahogany Town base has been compromised?" _His apprentice asked. _"How-"_

"It has no bearing for you." Imperious barked. "I have taken care of those responsible and am now tying up the last remaining loose end. Now, how goes our operations on the continent of Termina? Has General Titus had any luck overthrowing any of the local governments yet?"

_"Not at the moment, my lord. Termina may be cut off from the rest of the world, but the police forces here are incredibly thorough and secure. I fear we might have misjudged this region and the ease with which we could conquer it."_

"It matters not, Lord Vector. I would prefer our operations to take time than to fail. Inform General Titus that he may take things as slow as he sees fit, so long as the job gets done by this time next year."

_"My lord, your patience is much appreciated, as wise and benevolent a lordship as ever."_

"Belay that, Lord Vector. Tell General Titus to focus his resources on weakening the police and security forces of Termina. With the authorities unable to render aid to the public and the island's status of being cut off from the rest of the world, the government shall eventually crack."

_"Of course, my lord, I shall do as ordered. However, I wish to disagree. As long as we make no demands of surrender or move against the government itself, the people will continue to resist."_

"Lord Vector, you're focusing too much on us gaining power." Imperious reprimanded his apprentice. "We have nothing to gain and everything to lose from taking that power. If we take official command of Termina then, though the continent has long since cut itself off from the rest of the world, word_ will_ spread about what happened there before we are ready, and from Kanto to Sinnoh people wishing to stop us will force their way into Termina to fight back against us. However, if we stick to our current plan then the government will eventually disband on its own and anarchy will reign supreme, and that will make us much more powerful."

_"I do not see-"_

"Of course you don't." Imperious said softly. "With no one in charge there will be no law and order, people will do as they please, and this will strike fear into the hearts of every citizen in the region, true fear, fear far stronger than what they're feeling now. You see, people will be staying in at night because they'll be afraid of our people waiting for them out in the night, they'll no longer trust their neighbors, so on so forth; the basis of terrorism, my apprentice. With no officers to enforce its laws, the government of Termina will become a bloated Snorlax, unable to do much more than talk. The people, in their fear, will demand immediate change, and that is where we'll come in.

_"I understand now, my lord."_

"Very good, Lord Vector. Now, relay my commands to General Titus and return to your original assignment."

_"As you order it, my lord."_

Imperious smiled as he returned to his comfortable chair and focused his gaze on the once more blank screen, his mind deep in thought as to how he would rule his new world.

* * *

**Okay, so honestly, what'd you guys think? I know there weren't many pokémon in this chapter, but I promise, that'll change with the next chapter. This chapter's here just to get the ball rolling. I promise, I'll make up for it.**

**Also, I just discovered that Kasumi is Misty's Japanese name, but I would like to clear this up now: I got the idea off of the awesome video game _Mass Effect II..._Kasumi Goto is a downloadable character. So there, now you know. Also, the name Termina comes from _The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, _which, along with _Mass Effect_, I don't own.**

**And no, I don't really know why Kitch's mom is leader of the Mahogany Gym, nor do I know what happened to Pryce, but I will come up with something later on. **

**And I believe that's it for now, so until next time, I look forward to reading all of your reviews and seeing what ya'll think of this story.**


	3. Rocky Road Anthem

**Okay, here's Episode Two of _Crisis Point_, longer than the first, so enjoy. Oh, and no, I don't own Pokémon, so don't ask.**

* * *

**ADDITIONAL STORIES BY **Guardian Kitch**:**

_**Star Wars: Jedi Wasteland**_

_**Star Wars: Shadows of the Force**_

_**How Can I Help You to Say Goodbye?**_

_**Sins of the Father**_

_**Harry Potter and the Labyrinth of Evil**_

* * *

_**Episode 002: Rocky Road Anthem**_

{**Location: **New Bark Town, Johto Region}

"Sorry it took so long Professor Elm." Kitch heard his mother apologizing as he and his father entered the pokémon lab, passing a pair of grounded backpacks as they entered the lab. "So, did you get a look at the pokémon I brought to you yesterday?"

"Yes, Nurse Joy from our local pokémon center and I both examined it carefully and I am pleased to say that your newest team member is in perfect health and clear to compete in a gym battle the moment you return home."

"Thank you, old friend, I'm most grateful for your help. To be honest though, I thought I was never going to capture her; her raw power alone was a sight to behold." She was explaining when they at last joined Lor. Kitch opened his mouth to speak, ready to know what powerful pokémon his mother had captured, but when he saw the young girl sitting quietly off to the side his mouth closed, then opened once more, and again shut.

She wore a pink short-sleeved button-up shirt covering a black long-sleeved shirt, a setup similar to what he was wearing, that was diagonally dissected by a large black bag like a mail carrier would use, and she wore a matching skirt that came down to her knees with a black border, but her legs were covered by a pair of black pants that appeared to be worn under the skirt, and the black shoes sporting pink laces covering her feet looked as though they had just been taken off the store shelves, and her pink glasses matched the rest of her new clothes.

However, there was something that just felt off about this girl. Though she looked ready to leave on her own journey, the way her eyes seemed to study him, even from across the room, sent a slight chill up his spine. Those deep orbs of sapphire seemed haunted, as though they'd seen things they could never hope to forget, and, though she looked like a normal girl their age would, he couldn't help but feel as though he could sense her abuse, like he could smell it, taste it upon the air. Yes, he decided almost immediately, his father had been correct: the girl had a long road to recovery ahead of her, a rough road that would likely be full of bumps, obstacles, and detours.

There was something else, though, something about her that seemed to resonate deep within him. It was as if, by simply making eye contact with the girl named Elianna, he now shared her pain, her heartache. It felt as though a powerful, invisible force was at work, transferring some of her weighty pain to him, and, though he doubted he'd ever be able to explain it, he suddenly felt as though he hated the fact that he'd been unable to spare her any of the pain she'd suffered.

"So, Kitch, Elianna," Professor Elm addressed, leading them deeper into his lab. "Are you ready to choose your beginner's pokémon?"

"You bet, Professor!" Kitch shouted, suddenly remembering why he was there in the first place as Elianna came up behind him. "Hey, mom," Kitch shifted, remembering the mysterious pokémon his mother had captured. "You gonna tell us which pokémon was so powerful you had to use an Ultra Ball to capture it?"

"No, I think I'll keep that as a surprise."

"Oh come on mom," He complained. "I'm kinda looking forward to seeing it."

"Then look at it as motivation to get to Mahogany Town so you can battle me."

"I'm actually going to have to battle you for a gym badge?" Kitch asked, feeling taken aback by her words.

"Come on Kitch," Lor said, sounding as though she'd just heard the stupidest thing ever. "You really don't think I'm going to just _give _you the Glacier Badge, do you?"

"She's right son." Jax said. "Your mother's not going to just give you a badge because you're her son, just like she's not going to take it easy on you in battle. You might as well know now; she's a beast in the gym, among other certain places."

"Dad, I don't need to hear that." Kitch said, turning his attention to the poké balls on the table now standing in front of them.

"I was talking about in the kitchen boy, I don't know what you were thinking, what with your mind in the gutter and all."

"Okay," Professor Elm explained. "Trainers from Johto get to choose between three starter pokémon. You can either take Chikorita, the grass-type starter, the fire-type Cyndaquil, or the water pokémon Totodile."

"Ladies first." Jax declared, motioning for Elianna to approach the three poké balls, each with a flame, water drop, or leaf symbol painted on its front. Though her movements were timid, Elianna wasted no time in picking up the poké ball with the leaf symbol on front of it.

"So, Elianna, you wish to choose Chikorita, the grass-type pokémon?" Lor asked, her voice as gentle and kind as Kitch had ever before heard it. Elianna, in response, happily nodded her head before opening the poké ball. In a brilliant flash of white light, Chikorita was now standing directly in front of them, looking up at her new trainer.

"Chika!" And, with the same speed she'd used to burst forth from her poké ball, Chikorita was sailing through the air and into Elianna's outstretched hands, and the effect of such an innocent-seeming event was instantaneous, giving the effect of someone else completely having replaced the battered young girl. Her face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning, her mouth exploding into a full smile as she embraced her new pokémon, her pink and blue braces, which looked to be as new as her clothes, visible for all to see.

"I think you've made an excellent choice, Elianna." Jax said, unable to help but smile as he watched the scene unfold.

"Okay, Kitch, your turn." Professor Elm said. "Which pokémon do you choose?"

"Well, I've given it tons of thought, and after conferring with me, myself, and I, I'm going to go with….Cyndaquil!" He shouted, unable to help himself as he picked up the appropriate poké ball to release his new pokémon. In a flash of white light that perfectly mimicked the release of Chikorita, Cyndaquil was now standing on the cool lab's floor, looking up expectantly at Kitch.

"Cynda!"

"Hey Cyndaquil, my name's Kitch." The young trainer introduced himself, bending over to pick Cyndaquil up off of the floor. "Nice to meet you."

"Cyndaquil!"

"So, Cyndaquil, you ready for an adventure?"

"Cynda!"

"All right! Silver Town, here we come!"

"Okay." Professor Elm said as Kitch returned Cyndaquil to the floor moments later. "This is your pokédex." He said, handing them each a pokédex, Kitch's blue and Elianna's pink. "These contain information on every known pokémon and also serve as your trainer identification, so be careful not to lose them. I'm also going to give you each six poké balls to start your journey on, and remember many towns and cities sale poké balls to trainers who need them, so always stay stocked up."

"Here." Jax said. "Your mother and I decided to get you both a couple of gifts for your new journey. Kitch, we've got a Luxury Ball for you, and Elianna, I think the Heal Ball is just perfect for your Chikorita." He said, handing them each their poké balls, which in turn were each connected to a chain necklace. Kitch took the black poké ball and examined it, his heart racing. A Luxury Ball was a rare variant of the regular poké ball, and with the regulation of special poké ball versions now restricted in Johto they were even more expensive and difficult to obtain, Kitch recalled as he got mesmerized by the ball's glowing orange equator, which was black on a regular poké balls.

"We got them with necklaces because your beginner pokémon can never be replaced, it always commands a part of your heart and soul, so your mother suggested this because wearing them around your neck they'd be near your heart. And, of course, the balls do detach from their chains."

"You always were a sucker for sentimental value, weren't you mom?" Kitch asked.

"Here, give me your new poké balls and recall your pokémon to their original poké balls and I shall go immediately and switch them out so they can use their new poké balls."

"You can't just recall them into the new poké balls?" Kitch asked, looking confused at the professor's words.

"Afraid not." Lor explained. "Once a pokémon is captured, the poké ball it's captured in becomes exclusive to that pokémon, and only pokémon professors like Professor Elm and pokémon nurses at the Pokémon Center can switch them out."

"Didn't know that." Kitch said as he and Elianna simultaneously recalled their pokémon into their beginning poké balls and in turn handed the balls to Professor Elm.

"We have you another gift as well." Lor explained as Professor Elm left the room to switch the pokémon into their new poké balls. "We got each of you your very own Pokegears." She said, reaching into her purse. She handed the blue one to Kith and the pink one to Elianna. "They can serve as a map, a phone, and a radio, among other things as well. I have already programmed my number, Jax's number, and Professor Elm's number into your phonebook, so don't hesitate to call us if anything comes up."

"Thanks mom." Kitch said, wasting no time as he strapped his new device onto his wrist, now feeling more excited than ever before.

"The closest pokémon gym is in Violet City." Jax added. "Take Route 29 from here to Cherrygrove City, and from there Route 30 will take you north passed the Dark Cave and straight into Violet City."

"Yup, and to get into the Silver Conference I need eight gym badges as proof of my victories." Kitch explained, reciting information he knew by heart.

"Just remember, son, don't let yourself get rushed. A small number of well-trained pokémon are worth twice the number of poorly trained pokémon, and don't get into such a hurry that you ignore the daily adventure."

"Roger that, dad."

"And don't do anything stupid." Lor added, to which Kitch could only smile.

"Hey, it's me."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Lor and Jax said together, causing Elianna to hid her face behind her hands as she obviously fought to stifle a giggle. Jax disappeared for a brief moment, and when he returned he was now hold the two backpacks they'd passed on their way in.

"These have everything you'll need to get started, including some potions, antidotes, and full heals for your pokémon and a small ration of food. Don't forget to stop and stock up regularly along your journey." He added. "There's a money card in the side pouch of your backpacks, so feel free to use it as you need; just remember we'll be keeping a regular eye on it."

"Okay." Kitch said, taking his black backpack as Elianna accepted her pink one. Quickly, with trained precision, Kitch freed his sheathed katana from his back and, freeing the scabbard's strap, he hooked the weapon onto his belt, allowing it to dangle securely on his right side, ready for a left-handed cross draw should he need it. Then, with an almost bored expression, he fitted the backpack over his back where his blade had just been, now feeling more ready than ever for a pokémon journey.

"Honey, should we be allowing him to carry such a weapon?"

"Rule Number One, mom." Kitch said, reciting one of the rules his father had taught him at a young age, the same rules the older man constantly followed at work. "Be prepared; hope for the best but prepare for the worst."

"I have faith in his swordsman skills." Jax answered. "After all, he's trained with the blade almost as much as I have. And, to be honest, I do feel better about letting him heading off knowing he has a weapon to defend himself with should the need arise."

Lor sighed. "I suppose."

"Okay, they're all set." Professor Elm announced, returning with the pair of advanced poké balls, handing each to its appropriate owner. "Also, once you capture more than six pokémon, your new captures will automatically be sent to your mother at the gym in Mahogany Town."

Without hesitation, Kitch released Cyndaquil from the new Luxury Ball in a brilliant, sparkling display of orange light, draping the chain over his neck afterwards. Unable to resist using his new pokédex, Kitch opened the device up and trained it on his new pokémon.

_"Cyndaquil, the Fire Mouse Pokémon. Cyndaquil is most commonly found hunched over. If attacked or startled, it shoots flames up from its back for protection."_

"Cool." Kitch said as Elianna followed suit, aiming her pokédex at Chikorita.

_"Chikorita, the Leaf Pokémon. Its pleasantly aromatic leaf has the ability to check humidity and temperature. This pokémon also loves to sunbathe."_

"Not half bad either." Kitch said as the pair returned their new pokédex to their pockets. "So, Elianna, are you and Chikorita ready to head off on our new adventure? I know Cyndaquil and I are beyond ready."

"Chika!" Chikorita screamed, obviously as excited as Kitch felt, and in turn Elianna nodded her head.

"You kids be careful out there, okay?" Lor ordered as the two humans and their new pokémon began walking for the door.

As they reached the door, Kitch felt a maddening temptation to stop and look back at his parents, but, knowing that now was the time for him to show the courage of a pokémon trainer, he didn't stop as they opened the door and stepped outside, knowing how much harder this would become if he _did _stop and look back. Looking over at Elianna as they continued to walk, he smiled, knowing that, no matter what lie ahead, he'd always be able to count on what was now behind him, no matter what might come their way.

* * *

{**Location: **Pallet Town, Kanto Region}

Though the morning had started out dim and depressing for him, Ash had to admit that the rest of the day had more than made up for it. May, Max, and their parents, Caroline and Norman, the latter being the gym leader of Petalburg City in Hoenn, had decided to take a short vacation in celebration of Max's tenth birthday, a huge event for the aspiring pokémon trainer, the day he got to choose his first pokémon, which ended up being Treeko, the grass-type starter for trainers in the Hoenn region.

All day Ash had spent having fun with many of his friends and pokemon, though regrettably absent were two of Ash's oldest friends, the former gym leader of Pewter City, Brock, and the current leader of Cerulean City's gym, Misty, though Misty had called Max and wished him a happy birthday, albeit she'd seemed rather busy and distracted.

With the sun now beginning its trek westward, however, the festivities were now, for the most part, over, and while Max continued to think on where he wanted to go first Ash and May were walking into Professor Oak's lab once more, which was now currently empty, but this time they were doing so not for a party but because the pokémon professor had called his mother and asked that he and May come to see him as soon as they could.

"Hello Ash, May, thank you for coming so quickly, I apologize for dragging you away from your families on such short notice." Professor Oak said as they entered his office. The elderly professor was standing next to a man in his middle ages who stood almost twice as tall as Professor Oak, though the presence this man gave off was so powerful, so commanding, that it sent chills down Ash's back, instantly making him ready for a pokémon battle.

"Ah, so you're the famous Ash Ketchum that Professor Oak here has been telling me so much about." The other man said, his voice warm and friendly, as he offered Ash and May a courteous bow. "Yes, I watched your performances in the Sinnoh Championship, as it were, and you did very well; your efforts are to be commended, as are the efforts of the very talented and lovely coordinator standing next to you."

Ash couldn't see May blush from the man's comments, but he could feel some awkward emotion, one he'd never felt before, rising inside of him, and very unlike him, for the briefest of seconds, he felt nothing but the urge to punch the man in his face…though he quickly shut that emotion down. After all, he'd had a very active day and it was now early afternoon; he was undoubtedly tired.

"Ash, May," Professor Oak said. "Let me introduce you to a very good friend of mine, Professor Carth Masters. He's been studying all around the globe, learning everything he can about pokémon abilities and legendary pokémon; he's the leading expert in both areas, despite his age."

"You flatter me, Professor." The man named Carth said. "I am merely a humble observer of the pokémon world, a man hoping to learn all he can by watching these majestic creatures up close."

"Legendary pokémon, huh?" Ash asked. "I bet that's cool." He said, impressed. "Have you ever met any legendary pokémon up close?"

"Indeed, I have. In my past years I have encountered many legendary pokémon, including the ever elusive Mew, and we shall do well to remember the powerful Entei and the colossal Regigigas."

"Wow, that sounds like it'd be so much fun," May said, bringing both hands to cover both of her cheeks. "Traveling the world, meeting so many awesome legendary pokémon."

"It does most certainly have its moments." The professor agreed. "However, as awe-inspiring and wonderful as legendary pokémon are, that is not the sole reason for my quest to come and visit my friend here. You see, back when I was young, not too many years removed, as it were, I was a pokémon trainer, and I defeated the Elite Four of my home region of Sinnoh and at last became the Sinnoh League Champion, though several years ago this most wonderful trainer named Cynthia defeated me in a battle fit for a king, and so I turned my attention to my secondary field, pokémon studies."

"Indeed, Carth here was a very fine trainer, and one of my greatest students. By the time he became Champion of the Sinnoh region he was already an accomplished professor." Professor Oak commended, the pride evident in his voice.

"Thank you for such kind words, professor." Carth said. "Anyways, let us stop beating around the bush, shall we?" He said. "Ash, I have taken steps so unprecedented and so grand that it will forever change the career of every pokémon trainer out there. With help from the Pokémon Leagues of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, I have created what will become known as the Pokémon Master League, the league to end all pokémon leagues."

"The Pokémon Master League, what's that?" Ash asked.

"Pika?"

"The Pokémon Master League is a league championship far greater and more advanced than any of the regional leagues on the face of the planet." Professor Masters exclaimed, a small look of pride taking over his face. "The League works in coordination with the aforementioned leagues to select only the best trainers in the world, who, in turn, compete on the grandest stage of 'em all to become the ultimate Pokémon Master, earning the title of Pokémon Grand Master; in short that master is at the very tiptop of the pokémon trainer mountain; there is no higher-ranked pokémon master in the world."

"Wow." Ash breathed as his heart stopped cold in its tracks. "I can't wait!" He shouted, causing both professors to laugh.

"That's Ash for you." May said with a shrug of her shoulders. "The moment he hears of a new adventure he's off like a roman candle."

"That, young Ash, is the true purpose of my visit, to personally offer you the chance to compete in the Pokémon Master League."

"Alright, I accept!" Ash said. "Come on Pikachu, we're off to the Pokémon Master League!"

"Hang on just a minute!" May ordered, grabbing him by the arm to bring him to a snapping halt. "Ash, you don't even know where the Master League is being held."

"Oh yeah, that's right."

"The boy reminds me of myself at that age." The tall professor chuckled. "Young, restless, and ready for the next great adventure. As it turns out Ash, the Master League opening ceremonies are still well over eighteen months away, and you must meet our only qualification guideline."

How do I qualify?"

"Well, you must have placed in the top twenty in your home leagues, in your case the Indigo League, though as I understand it, in your case, there will be no problems with that, so if you wish to compete just let me know and when the competition date draws closer you'll be notified in enough time to reach the site of the competition."

"However," Professor Masters said. "I of all people know how frustrating and boring waiting a year and a half can be, so I came here tonight to ask you a favor, having heard a lot about many of your adventures."

"A favor?"

"Yes indeed." He replied. "There is a hidden and little-known continent south of the Johto and Kanto regions…if you extended the border between the two around the globe this continent would be divided exactly in half, one on the Kanto side and the other on the Johto side." He explained. "Termina is one of planet's largest land masses, and is unique because of the geography and climate it owns. On this single continent you can find every known weather pattern and geographical feature known, from volcanoes to deep seas to blizzard-draped mountains. It is a beautiful place, it is vast, impressive, and, when compared with most of the other landmasses in the world, relatively vacant and unspoiled."

"Vacant?" Ash asked. "No one lives there?"

"Oh yes, there are more than enough inhabitants that call this place their home, but because of its size even the millions of people who call Termina their home fail to make it as populace as many other places across the globe. Now, Professor Oak tells me that both of you are familiar with a criminal organization called Team Rocket."

"Yeah." Ash said. "They've been trying to steal Pikachu from me for years now, since back when we first starting traveling together."

"Professor Oak also tells me that the members you're familiar with are rather clueless and, for lack of a better adjective, stupid; is this correct?"

"Yeah, it is." May and Ash answered as one, recalling their countless run-ins with the organization.

"Well, allow me to be the first in the long line of people who can and will assure you that most Team Rocket members are not like them; most members of this group are smart, cunning, and ruthless."

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "But what does Team Rocket have to do with any of this?" He asked, now confused as to what, exactly, Professor Masters was asking from him.

"I do most sincerely apologize if I've confused you, my young friend. There are eight main elements naturally found here on our beloved planet Earth, which in turn make up the core of pokémon types, these being the elements of Grass, Water, Fire, Thunder, Ice, Air, Earth, and Stone; some may sound similar but believe me they are all very different. Now, before I get caught getting sidetracked I will come out with my request." The professor sighed. "Scattered across the continent of Termina are eight stones, each one representing a different one of these elements. Now, alone they're beautiful, but for all intents and purposes they're utterly useless. However, when they are all reunited, something not seen in eons, then they reveal the location of two more stones, the elemental stones of Life and Death. Now, while these two are as useless as the others when alone they can be devastating once they're brought together with their eight counterparts. If someone good and pure of heart collects the stones then they ensure the power of these elements remain balanced and in harmony, but if someone with greed and evil in their hearts does so then these stones turn their new owner into a monster, a monster who can rule over every pokémon on the face of the earth, wild or otherwise. Team Rocket's boss, Giovanni, would love to get his hands on these stones, for with these stones his dreams could at last come true, and I feel that it would be needless to explain to you how bad that would be, yes?"  
"Yeah, that would be bad." Ash and May said together, now feeling as though they knew what his favor would be.

"Good, I am most happy we all agree on this subject. My favor, therefore, young ones, is that you travel to Termina and collect the stones yourselves, and pardon my saying so, but it would be most advantageous for you to reach them before Team Rocket does."

"Alright, I accept." Ash said. "I won't allow Team Rocket to control all the world's pokémon."

"I am most grateful for your help, young Ash. Now, May, I understand that you once traveled through Hoenn and the Kanto Battle Frontier with Ash, correct?" The Professor asked.

"Yeah." May said, nodding her head.

"If you would not mind, I think it would be a splendid idea for you to travel with him to Termina, and maybe even get a couple of your other friends together to go with you as well. There haven't been any _new _species of pokémon officially discovered on Termina, I'll admit, but even still there are plenty of pokémon on the island and the trainers to go with them, and, just for the lovely young coordinator here, Termina is home to many fun, challenging, and rare pokémon contests; their Grand Festival is held only once every ten years, and as it turns out the next one is just a year away." Masters said. "This will be an extended stay, much akin to traveling through any of the four main regions here."

"Yeah, I'll go." May said, sounding thoroughly excited about the subject. "Hey Ash, you don't mind, do you?"

Ash turned to look at his friend, but before he could answer her face fell and saddened. "Never mind, Max wants to start tomorrow challenging the Hoenn League."

"Well," Masters said thoughtfully. "Termina doesn't have regional pokémon league of its own, but it is home to a total of fifteen pokémon gyms; if your little sibling wishes to travel with you through Termina he could theoretically challenge these gyms; if he were to collect all fifteen badges then the Master League and I would view that as akin to placing in the top percentage of a home league, and thus he could qualify for entrance and competition in the league; even were he to lose it would be invaluable training all the same."

"Don't worry May, I'm sure Max would love to come with us." Ash said. "Pikachu, are you ready?"

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu replied energetically, sparks erupting from his cheeks.

"That's the spirit." Masters replied. "Under normal circumstances, the continent is isolated from the rest of the world, as decided by the Termina government, but, for the purposes of the Master League and this expedition, I have managed to arrange for a ship to leave from Pallet Town at noon tomorrow to take you to Termina. It'll take at least a day to get there but believe me, my young friends, it will be worth it. Your first stop will be the port city of Aquitania. I have a contact there who will be expecting your arrival; she will tell you more and give you information regarding Termina. Now, I must get mobile again, though I wish I could stay more and speak with all of you. Before I take my leave, however, I would like to impress upon you both that this is no easy task. Each stone is heavily guarded, and getting there will be no easy task. All of you will be tested, some of these tests coming in the most brutal and evil of ways, but rely on your friends, stay true to your heart, and never give up; do this and I am most confident in your success and look forward to seeing you again."

"Ash," Professor Oak said. "Let me know in the morning if you're taking any of your pokémon with you, okay?"

"Sure thing, Professor Oak." Ash said. "Come on May, Pikachu, let's go tell Max, I'm sure he'll be excited, because I know I am."

And unable to contain himself any longer he took off running as fast as he could, exploding through the lab's front door like a race horse coming out of the opening gate, May doing all she could to keep up with him, her much shorter legs working overtime to do the work being requested of them.

"So, Ash," May asked several minutes later as they returned to Ash's home. "Have you decided which pokémon you're going to take with you to Termina?"

"I know I'm going to take Totodile and Bayleef." Ash answered. "It's been a long time since I left them with Professor Oak while going to Hoenn and I know they'll be excited to go traveling with me. I think I'll leave the last three spots of my team open for pokémon I catch while I'm in Termina." He added, compromising with the plans he'd come up with for heading to Sinnoh and Hoenn. "I know the rest of my pokémon will want to come with me but they'll be fine with Professor Oak, and I can switch them out back and forth. What about you, May?" He asked as they again reached the back yard.

"I'm bringing Blaziken, Venusaur, Wartortle, and Beautifly with me; Glaceon, Skitty, and Munchlax are going to stay with mom and dad in Petalburg City."

"Hey dear," Delia greeted as they rejoined their respective families. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's better than okay, mom." Ash answered, and hurriedly, as though he might be afraid he'd forget something, he recounted the meeting with Professors Oak and Masters for all to hear.

"Well Max, this is a very great opportunity for you, son." Norman explained. "As Professor Masters told Ash and May, Termina is an isolationist continent, and not many trainers in the world can claim to have won badges from the pokémon gyms there."

"You think so?" Max asked, thinking it through as he considered his options.

"Yeah, Max." May said. "You can challenge the Hoenn league after the Master League Championships. You won't win, of course," She added quickly with a giggle, unable to help but tease her little brother. "But think of all the experience and pokémon you'll gain."

"May…" He growled, not taking her words too kindly.

"Come on, Max, it'll be fun." Ash interrupted, defusing the argument between the two before it could escalate. "And who knows, you just might win the Master League."

"Alright then, Ash, I'm coming along!"

"Alright!"

"Pika Pi!"

"Hey, Ash!" Max suddenly declared. "Do you remember, right before May left for Johto, when you promised me that when I got ready we could have a battle?"

"Yeah." Ash said, remembering perfectly the incident Max was talking about. It had been just as May and Max were getting ready to return home so that May could prepare to leave for the Johto region, and upon learning that he would not be going out this time around Max had gotten upset, running off to sit on a nearby swing.

_"Hey, isn't it really great that your sister's gonna keep taking her contest training to the next level?" _Ash had asked, Pikachu on his shoulders, as he tried to talk to Max in an effort to cheer his young friend up. _"Still," _He'd continued with no response from Max. _"I know it's hard knowing you won't be going too."_

_ "Uh-huh," _Max had said in agreement. _"I hear ya Ash. But lately I've started feeling jealous of May."_

_ "Huh?" _Ash had asked, waiting for Max to explain.

_"See, when you and May were battling back there I'd never seen her so psyched, but all I could do was watch and it made me wish I could grow up quick so I could do that too."_

_ "Yeah." _Ash had said, knowing just how Max had felt, May and Brock watching from behind him. _"I've got it!" _Ash had exclaimed suddenly, knowing what would make Max happy. _"You know you're going to be a pokémon trainer," _He'd said. _"And then you and I'll battle"_

_ "Uh…" _Max had gasped hopefully.

_"Of course, you just let me know when you're ready."_

_ "Pika Pika." _Pikachu had agreed, a big smile on the electric pokémon's face.

_ "You…mean…me, battle against you?" _Max had asked as if not believing what Ash was suggesting. _"Ha!" _Max had shouted, jumping off of the swing to stand in front of Ash. _"It's a deal!"  
"Great, it'll be a good one." _Ash had said, now excited himself.

_"But I'm gonna win, so look out!" _Max had added, his confidence and happiness restored. _"Watching you battle all this time I already _know _every trick up your sleeve; it'll be a slam dunk for sure!"_

And then May and Max had left, hurrying to make it to their ship before they were left behind.

"Come on Ash, let's have our battle." Max suggested, pointing a finger at Ash. "My Treeko against your Totodile."

"Okay, Max, you're on! You ready Totodile?" Ash asked his small water pokémon as it joined the gathered group, and in turn Totodile began dancing up and down once more, eager to join Ash in battle once again.

"Okay Max, since this is your first real battle you get first attack." May, the acting referee in place of the usual Brock, declared as everyone moved to give them plenty of room in which they could battle. "This is a one-on-one battle with no time limit and no substitutions and the match is over when either trainer's pokémon can no longer continue."

"Ready Ash?" Max asked, confident in his victory, receiving a nod from Ash.

"I'm ready when you are Max."

"Okay Treeko, Quick Attack, now!" Max ordered, and with that the battle began. Treeko took off in a blur of green motion, heading right for Totodile.

Three individuals watched from afar as Totodile dodged Treeko's attack and retaliated with a powerful Water Gun, smiles forming on their faces as they realized the chance they were being given.

"So the little twerp has his own pokémon now, huh?" The tall young man with short blue hair asked, still focusing on the battle through a pair of binoculars.

"That's just great." His red-haired female partner sighed. "That means there's yet another way for us to get sent blasting off again." She growled as she too looked through an identical set of binoculars. "I'm tired of those pesky little twerps beating us time and time again."

"Don't you guys get it?" The pokémon member of the trio asked, setting his binoculars on the ground. "We've been goin' about dis all wrong."

"What are you talking about, Meowth?" Jessie, the red-haired female, asked, setting her pair of binoculars down to glare over at the cat pokémon.

"Dat Pikachu is too powerful for us to catch on our own, so we gotta get a hold of da boss and have him help us out."

"Have you gone crazy?" James, the blue-haired young man, shouted. "The boss would demote us to cleaning the corporate bathrooms if we called him for help."

"Hang on James," Jessie said, stopping her partner from continuing further. "Meowth has a point." She continued. "Pikachu has become so powerful over the years that it is impossible to catch, even for us, but if the boss sent us reinforcements then not even the twerps could stop us and Pikachu would belong to Team Rocket."

"And we would be on da fast track to success." Meowth finished, all three friends smiling and laughing loudly at the thought of at last making their dreams coming true.

"Come on James, let's go." Jessie said, standing up and grabbing James by the hand to drag him away from their observations.

"Jessie, where are we going?"

"To make a phone call."

"Sorry to burst your bubble Jessie," Meowth cut in as they took off. "But we're short on cash…we spent da last of it on dat electric-proof robot dat da twerpette's Piplup destroyed." Meowth said, referring to their last effort to capture Pikachu, way back in the Sinnoh region.

"There's always one number we can call collect." She said, leading them to the nearest payphone.

_"You three better have a good excuse for disturbing me this early in the morning." _Giovanni, boss of Team Rocket, growled as he came on the line.

"Of course boss." Jessie said. "We have some very good news; we've returned to the Kanto region and as always are hot on the trail of that super-powerful Pikachu you want ever so badly."

_"The same Pikachu you three bumbling fools have been chasing for the past six years?" _Giovanni asked impatiently. _"So then, what's your good news?"_

"Well ya see boss," Meowth said, taking over for Jessie. "We know where da Pikachu is but it's become so strong dat we can't capture it ourselves…"

"So we were wondering if you could maybe send us backup to help us catch it." James finished.

_"You fools are telling me you've spent six years chasing a simple Pikachu and you can't catch the little rodent?" _Giovanni roared.

"You don't understand boss," Jessie said quickly, knowing how bad it was for them to make Giovanni mad. "This Pikachu is one-of-a-kind. It's electrical attacks are strong enough to defeat rock and ground-type pokémon."

_"You three had better not be wasting my time." _Giovanni growled. _"Lure the trainer and his precious little rodent to our hideout in Viridian Forest," _He ordered in a bored voice. _"I will make sure you have the appropriate forces waiting there for you when you arrive…so help me if you three bumbling fools mess this up again."_

"Yes sir!" The trio shouted in unison as the line went dead.

"Boy dat's da boss for ya." Meowth said. "He trusts us so much he's givin' da most important part of da operation to us!"

"We'll be promoted for sure when we pull this one off." James added, just as gleeful as Meowth.

"Knock it off you two." Jessie ordered, shutting them both up on the spot. "We've not got time to celebrate, not yet. We have to lure the twerp to Viridian Forest like the boss said, so come on."

"Da boss is a real genius for comin' up wit dat plan, dat's for sure." Meowth continued as they made their way back towards Oak's research lab. "It takes a real genius to see dat luring da twerps onto our own turf is da best ting to do."

"How are we going to lure the twerps all the way to Viridian Forest?" James asked. "We can't exactly ask them nicely."

"Easy." Meowth said. "We kidnap da twerp's Totodile…dey'll chase after us in no time, and as long as we keep ahead of dem we'll be okay."

"Come on then, let's go." Jessie said, now going at a full run. "The sooner we get there the sooner we can get our promotions."

"Ha ha ha!" The trio laughed together, now ready to put their evil plan into motion.

Meanwhile, unaware of the plot being hatched against them Ash continued his battle with Max, taken aback by how good May's brother was…apparently watching both his father and Ash over the past few years had done wonders for the boy, more so than Ash had thought possible.

"Quick Totodile, dodge it!" Ash shouted, ordering his pokémon to dodge the latest in a series of fast-paced Pound attacks being launched by Treeko. "Now jump into the air and hit Treeko with Water Gun, full force!"

Totodile obediently launched himself into the air, twisting around so that he had a perfect shot at his grass-type opponent, and Ash couldn't help but smile; Treeko was fast but inexperienced, and that inexperience was beginning to show, the small pokémon no longer moving as fast as before; the perfect opening Ash needed.

Suddenly, before Totodile could get his attack out, a black haze appeared, covering the entire battlefield.

"What's going on?" Ash shouted, covering his mouth and coughing as he tried to see through the thick black smoke. "Who's there?"

"Oh my…are those sad little twerps I hear?"

"They're crying to me loud and clear."

"On the wind…"

"Past the stars…"

"Der's notin' to fear, Meowth is here!"

"Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace,"

"Dashing all hope and putting fear in its place!"

"A rose by any other name is just as sweet,"

"When everything's worse our work is complete."

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Meowth, now _dat's _a name!"

"Putting the do-gooders in their place,"

"We're Team Rocket and we're in your face!"

"Not you again!" Ash shouted, angry at Team Rocket's interruption of one of the most important battle's he'd ever been in, a battle he'd been looking forward to for a very long time.

Team Rocket laughed as something shot out of their balloon, though what, exactly, it was Ash didn't know, being able to only hear the device's launch.

"Oh yes, it's us again." The familiar voice of Jessie said. "And this time we're not going to fail."

"We've got a brilliant plan that's going to put you in your place this time twerps." James added. The moment his voice went silent a dark, hazy cloud erupted from nowhere, enveloping the entire area to such a degree that it was impossible to see.

_"Swellow!"_

At the sound of Swellow's screech, Ash felt his heart lift, knowing Swellow could get rid of what he knew to be Seviper's Haze attack. As Seviper's Haze attack at last dissipated Ash looked up and was shocked to see that it wasn't Pikachu hanging from Team Rocket's balloon but his Totodile, completely helpless as the pokémon thieves began to make their escape.

"Swellow, go free Totodile, now!" Ash ordered, and without hesitation Swellow soared off, quickly closing the distance between itself and Team Rocket's balloon.

"I don't think so, not this time." Jessie said, and laughing louder than ever, Meowth depressed a button on a small, black remote control…seconds later huge wads of bubblegum shot out, hitting Swellow head on and trapping the poor pokémon on the ground.

"Star!" Staraptor screeched from behind as Swellow fought to free itself, landing next to Ash and beckoning for the young trainer to climb aboard, as, on shere instinct alone, he recalled Bayleef into her poké ball.

"Come on Pikachu, let's go rescue Totodile!" Ash shouted, and in response Pikachu charged forward, jumping onto Ash's shoulders, electricity sparking from its red, circular cheeks.

"Hang on Ash!" May shouted as Staraptor spread his huge wings, read for immediate take off.

"Huh?" Ash asked, but before he could say or do anything else May had jumped onto Staraptor as well, hugging Ash's waist as the bird pokémon jetted off into the air, closing the gap between them and Team Rocket even faster than Swellow had before.

"May, what-"

"Something doesn't feel right!" She shouted, having to yell to be heard over the sound of air rushing in their ears.

"Give me back my Totodile!" Ash shouted, receiving a laugh from Team Rocket.

"You want your precious little pokémon back then why don't you just come and get it." Jessie egged on, sticking her tongue out at a now angry Ash. Before anyone else could speak, however, a pair of jet engines appeared from the sides of the balloon's basket, and when they ignited Team Rocket soared forward, making it all but impossible for Staraptor to catch up.

"Ash!" May shouted ever louder. "Something doesn't seem right; why did they kidnap Totodile when they're always after Pikachu?"

"I don't know!" Ash shouted agitatedly. "Maybe they got the wrong target; it wouldn't be the first time!"

"I still say something feels off!" May shouted, though Ash didn't respond, too focused on his captive pokémon to care what she'd said.

Across the southern Kanto landscape the two sets of enemies flew, Ash, May, Pikachu, and Staraptor following well behind Team Rocket and their balloon, desperately seeking any opening in which they could retrieve the captive Totodile. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Ash could recognize the edges of the Viridian Forest looming below.

From the back of his Staraptor Ash watched as Team Rocket's hot air balloon descended into the lush canopy of Viridian Forest, an attempt to shake him and May loose from their trail so that they could escape with his Totodile, but Ash just shook his head as they, too, descended into the forest as well, rapidly catching up to the balloon now that the jet engines had been turned off for the drop in altitude.

What Ash did not expect for Team Rocket to do, however, was _land_ and get out of their balloon, stopping just long enough to collect Totodile, and make towards a building off in the distance.

Knowing that time was quickly running out Ash decided not to wait for Staraptor to land and instead jumped off several feet above the ground, May following right behind him, and together the duo chased after Jessie, James, and Meowth, knowing that they just might be able to catch up to the crooks before they reached the building.

After a couple of minutes the building finally came into view as Ash and May entered a small clearing, Staraptor hovering right behind them, and what Ash saw in front of the building almost stopped his heart cold.

There had to be at least two dozen men and women dressed in black Team Rocket uniforms and blocking the way to the door, Jessie, James, Meowth and Totodile now nowhere to be seen, and when he looked out of the corner of his eye he noticed there were Rocket members behind them as well…the three foolish thieves had led him directly into an ambush, and he had fallen for it like the fool he was.

"Ash, what are we going to do?" May asked. "There's no way we can battle them all; I only have Blaziken with me…the rest of my pokémon are back in Pallet Town."

"I have Pikachu, Staraptor, and Bayleef," Ash said. "But that still won't be enough to battle them all at once."

"Ha ha ha!" Three familiar voices rang out with laughter.

"Now be good little twerps and handover Pikachu and we'll give you your pathetic little Totodile back." Jessie said, Ash and May frantically looking around for the source of the words, which they quickly found on the top of the large building.

"That's not going to happen Team Rocket!" Ash shouted, standing his ground. "So go ahead and just give me Totodile, now!"

"Hand the little rodent over and no one gets hurt." A woman said, walking forward from the building's door, her hand stretched out in expectation of receiving Pikachu.

"Pi Ka Chu!" Pikachu shouted, leaping off of Ash's shoulders and zapping the woman with a powerful Thunderbolt, sending her crumpling to the ground.

"I guess we're just going to have to teach you little love birds a lesson." A man said. "Okay you guys, let's get 'em!"

"Come on out Blaziken!" May shouted, tossing the poké ball high above her head, and in a brilliant explosion of bright light Blaziken appeared next to her, ready to fight as the flames on its feet and wrists proved.

"Blaze!" It roared, stepping between May and the closest Team Rocket members.

"I choose you Bayleef!" Ash said, following May's lead, and as Blaziken had done Bayleef and Staraptor both placed themselves between Ash and the Rocket members closest to him.

"Staraptor," Ash said, thinking quickly. "Fly back to Pallet Town and tell Professor Oak and Tracy where we're at so they can bring help."

"Star!" The bird screeched, launching itself into the air.

"I don't think so." Another of the Rockets said. "Hitmonchan, intercept that pesky little bird with a Thunder Punch, now!"

And in horror Ash and May both watched as the fighting-type pokémon appeared in the air above them, connecting with Staraptor's chest as electricity enveloped the bird pokémon and sent it crashing to the ground.

"Staraptor, no!" Ash screamed, realizing he hadn't brought Staraptor's poké ball with him and thus he had no way to recall his friend to safety.

"Wow," One of the Team Rocket grunts leered. "You kids are pathetic…you three disgrace Team Rocket if you can't beat them." He shouted up at Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"Hey you!" Meowth shouted back. "You watch it with da insults bub; we're da boss's best and favorite agents!"

"His favorite?" Another asked. "Ha! All you three dopes are to Giovanni are headaches that can't do anything right!"

"We'll make you pay for that!" James responded, and as the argument continued Ash saw his chance.

"Bayleef," He whispered in a low voice. "Use Razor Leaf to cut through the lock on that cage and free Totodile."

"Bay bay!" Bayleef whispered back, and dutifully she launched a barrage of razor-sharp leaves into the air, all of which made contact with the lock to the cage holding Totodile in, and as the members of Team Rocket continued to argue Totodile bashed the door open and leapt down, rushing to rejoin his trainer.

"Hey you, we stole your pokémon fair and square, so give it back!" James shouted, and though Totodile was free everyone was again focusing on him and May.

"You kids have messed with us long enough; now it's time to pay up!" One of the grunts shouted, his fellows shouting in agreement.

"Koffing," One of them shouted. "Use smokescreen so we can take their pokémon from them!"

Ash covered his face and May did the same as the thick black smoke completely covered them, and in horror he could only imagine the smoke clearing and all of his pokémon and being stolen from him, nowhere to be seen.

"Staraptor!" Staraptor suddenly screeched as the sound of it flapping its wings suddenly filled the air, a sound that almost brought tears to Ash's face.

Immediately the smoke cleared up and with three quick attacks the Team Rocket grunts backed away.

"That bird is getting annoying!" Someone yelled. "Skarmory, Fearow, put it in its place, and make sure it can't get up afterwards!"

And before either Ash, May, or their pokémon could respond two other flying pokémon, one of which appeared to be made out of steel, blew over their heads, the white gusts of wind around their beaks giving away their Aerial Ace attack, both of which landed direct hits, and Staraptor, still weak from the super-effective Thunder Punch he had suffered moments before, fell to the ground, victim to the next attack the pair decided to launch.

"Shut it down for good, put it out of its misery with a double Hyper Beam!"

"No!" Ash shouted, rushing forward to protect his pokémon, stretching out his arms so that he could act as a human shield.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, rushing forward in preparations of an electric attack.

"I don't think so you little rat!" The same voice said. "Hitmonchan, Mega Punch on that Pikachu, now!"

And before Pikachu could come to the rescue Hitmonchan landed its attack, sending Pikachu tumbling to the ground, dazed from the power that attack had punched.

"Ash, no!" May shouted, but Ash paid her no mind. Instead, he looked up as two glowing orange balls formed in the mouths of Skarmory and Fearow, and as he shut out the sound of Jessie, James, and Meowth laughing hysterically May rushed forward, grabbing him in a hug and putting herself between the attacking bird pokémon and himself as she tried to pull him out of harm's way.

However, seconds before Skarmory launched its attack a beam of powerful orange energy, a third Hyper Beam blast, lashed out of nowhere, slamming into Skarmory and throwing it so hard into the side of the building that it served as an instant knock out, and in the surprise attack Fearow failed to launch the Hyper Beam, the glowing ball instead fading into nothingness.

"Who dares challenge Team Rocket?" The Skarmory's trainer bellowed, looking around for the culprit.

His answer was answered by a screech, one far louder and more powerful than Staraptor's had been, a screech that Ash hadn't heard in years, not since before leaving for the Orange Islands…

A large bird-shaped shadow covered both him and May, who had yet to realize she was still tightly holding on to Ash, and when their savior landed in front of them Ash realized that the screech was more familiar than he had at first thought.

"Pidgeot, you came back!" He shouted, his brain full of memories of the second pokémon he'd captured after leaving Pallet Town, though most of the time he'd known Pidgeot the bird pokémon had been its pre-evolved form of Pidgeotto.

"Geot." The large bird chirped with a nod of his head.

"Wow, you look great Pidgeot." Ash stopped as both he and May realized the position they were in, and as they both began to blush furiously they broke the embrace.

"That's your pokémon?"

"Yup." Ash answered proudly. "That's the second pokémon I ever caught.

"Wow."

"May, stay here with Staraptor." Ash said, picking up Pikachu. "Pikachu, look, Pidgeot came back."

"Pi Pikachu." Pikachu greeted weakly, still recovering from the Mega Punch he'd suffered. Ash rushed forward then to Pidgeot's side, a newfound confidence welling up inside of him.

"Take it out Fearow, Hyper Beam one more time!"

And with horror Ash realized that Pidgeot couldn't move so soon after a powerful Hyper Beam like the one he'd launched. However, he soon found out that there was no need to worry, for no sooner had the attack been ordered than an explosion of dirt showered him, forming a large hole in the earth next to him.

As Ash wiped his eyes clean he saw a giant silver snake-like pokémon emerge from the hole, roaring as its tail began to glow, an attack Ash knew from experience to be Iron Tail, and with no chance of dodging Fearow could only screech for help as Steelix grounded the pokémon into the dirt below, making sure its attack would fail.

"Good job Steelix!" A familiar voice shouted, coming from behind Ash, and when he turned to greet his old friend he saw Brock, the tall, dark-skinned pokémon breeder he'd known for six years now, shoving through the blockade of Team Rocket grunts to join him and May.

"Brock I'm sure glad to you." May shouted with joy as he reached Ash's side.

"Sorry I didn't make it here sooner you two." Brock apologized. "I was actually on my way to Pallet Town when I saw Pikachu's Thunderbolt and decided to come investigate."

"No problem Brock," Ash said, smiling. "It's better late than never, right?"

"Okay, recall your pokémon and get Pikachu and May onto Pidgeot's back." Brock ordered.

"But I don't have Staraptor's poké ball." Ash said, explaining the situation to Brock as fast as he could.

"I'll take care of Staraptor." Brock said, rushing to the fallen pokémon's side. "You two go ahead and get out of here; Steelix and I will cover you and meet you back in Pallet Town, okay Ash?"

"Yeah, okay." Ash agreed. "Bayleef, Totodile, return!" Ash commanded, recalling both of his pokémon to their poké balls.

"You too, Blaziken." May added, doing the same to her oldest pokémon and rushing to join Ash on top of Pidgeot.

"Let's go Pidgeot!" Ash ordered, and as they raced into the sky they could hear Jessie, James, and Meowth screaming at them to come back.

"Now Steelix," He heard Brock shout. "Cover us with Sandstorm and use Dig to get us out of here!"

And when Ash and May turned around to look they saw a powerful storm of sand block their view of their older friend, and knowing now all he could was hope that Brock and Staraptor had made it out safely he turned and looked towards the horizon, glad the ambush was now over and they were safely away.

"You okay May?" Ash asked as the sense of urgency fell away.

"Yeah, I t-think so." She breathed, the adrenaline still apparently flooding her body. Suddenly, with no warning, May balled her right hand into a tight fist and slugged Ash's shoulder as hard as she could.

"Ouch, what was that for?" Ash shouted, screaming out in pain, not willing to admit that her attack had actually hurt him.

"That was a stupid thing for you to do, Ash Ketchum!" She scolded. "I understand you wanted to protect Staraptor but those Hyper Beams could have killed you!"

"I couldn't just let Staraptor get hit!" Ash countered. "He took that damage protecting us; it would have been wrong for me not to do the same thing!"

"You're not a pokémon!" May shouted back. "Pokémon can take more damage than we can and you know that! Staraptor didn't want you hurt in the first place, why do you think he took the attacks head on to defend you? You don't return that kind of favor by getting hurt anyways because then that means Staraptor got hurt for nothing!"

"Why are you so mad about it?" Ash asked angrily. "It's not like Staraptor's your pokémon anyways ya know?"

"It's not Staraptor I was worried about!" May shouted back.

"So you don't care about my pokémon, is that it?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Yes you did!"

"Ash Ketchum, you're so…so…you're such a boy, you know that?" May roared. "It was _you_ I was worried about! It was your life that I feared for! If those attacks had hit, if Pidgeot hadn't arrived when he did, you would have…you could have…I couldn't have stood seeing you go out like that, it would have killed me too!"

Ash blinked rapidly at those words, but they still failed to quell his anger.

"Yeah, then why did you hug me like that, huh? You could have been hurt too ya know?"

"That's not the point." May quickly said. "The important thing is that everyone's okay and we made it out with all of our pokémon." She continued as Pallet Town came into view.

Ash, however, said nothing else as he focused on the scenery ahead of him, and as they began to descend towards his home he could see the massive form of Steelix already there and everyone waiting, gathered around Steelix and watching as they cut through the air.

However, even as Pidgeot landed and Max came rushing up to greet them Ash couldn't help but feel a weird sensation in his stomach as his thoughts lingered on the hug he'd shared with May, the hug they'd shared as they both looked death right in the face without so much as blinking…he quickly shut those thoughts up…after all, she had been pretty reckless and stupid by doing that, putting her own self in danger as well, and as he slid off of Pidgeot he turned around to get one more glance at May, who was turned away from him with her arms folded across her chest, and growling in anger Ash stomped away, rushing over to Brock to check on his fallen partner, suddenly questioning whether or not May should accompany him to Termina.

* * *

{**Location: **Route 29, Johto Region}

Earlier that morning Kitch had been _so _excited to begin his pokémon adventure, so sure of himself even as he'd left his parents standing in Professor Elm's lab back in New Bark Town, but now, hours later, as the sun continued descending towards the far horizon, he privately admitted that this first day had been a bust.

According to his pokégear it was nearly four in the afternoon before they finally stopped to take a break from all the walking, sitting down on a fallen log off of Route 29 to eat some of the food his mother had packed.

He could remember his father telling him that Elianna, as far as they knew, had yet to talk, but he'd still not been fully prepared to spend a full day traveling alone with someone else who made not a single sound. He knew she'd been through a lot, but still…

"So, Elianna, you ever gonna talk or are we going to spend all of our time together listening to my voice?" He asked, hoping his voice sounded polite rather than disgruntled, as part of him felt inside, but when she looked up at him with a mixture of fear and rebellious resistance, he suspected it hadn't.

"I just meant to say," He added quickly, rushing to cover up his apparent mistake. "That if you don't speak then you can't effectively command your pokémon in battle, and without that communication you really can't hope to win, can you?"

Silently she continued glaring.

"I'm sorry if that was mean, Elianna, I can promise that's not what I meant." He added, trying to make her feel more at ease with him. "I just want to…help, that's all."

Still, she said nothing but continued to defiantly glare at him. He sighed as he continued to eat his sandwich as the two pokémon ate the pokémon food Lor had prepared for them earlier that morning.

For nearly an hour they sat there in near-total silence, eating and afterwards just sitting. Finally, though, unable to stand it any longer, Kitch climbed to his feet and made to approach Elianna.

"Look, Elianna, I know you've been through a lot, but I promise you, things are going to be better from now on." As he said this, he placed his right hand gently on the girl's left should, but immediately he realized that this hadn't been one of his better ideas. Reacting as though she'd been slapped, the girl screamed out, a horrible, ear-splitting hair-raising sound, and before he could comprehend what was happening she'd lashed out with her left foot, catching him square in the stomach and sending him backwards and sprawling to the ground below. Acting as though something had snapped deep inside of her, she jumped up and made to continue the assault, forcing Kitch to throw his hands up above his head in a vain effort to ward off her deceptively-powerful attacks.

However, the moment his hand lashed up towards his head, the girl, as suddenly as she'd begun the assault, stopped, now standing there in silence as she looked down at him with wide, fearful eyes, and, though she still said not a single word he had a strong feeling he knew what she was thinking. Carefully, giving her no reason to renew her furious barrage, he pulled himself back to his feet, carefully dusting himself off.

Moving away from her and minding the distance now between them, he walked over and picked up his canteen, which was now bone dry, and then proceeded to collect Elianna's canteen, which had only a little more water than his own.

"I'll be back in a second Elianna." He assured her, forcing his voice to remain calm and strong, despite the slight twinge of hurt sadness he now felt rising up inside of him. "I'm going to go fill up our canteens at that small creek we saw earlier before we resume our travels, okay? Cyndaquil, you want to come with me?"

"Cynda!"

"Oh, and Elianna, no matter what happens, I'll never hurt you, okay? You have my word on that; as long as I'm around, _no one's _going to hurt you ever again." And, saying not a single word more, he turned and walked off, Cyndaquil following closely behind.

He walked in silence, recalling to himself what had just happened over and over again, trying to figure out why Elianna had snapped like she had. The only thing he could figure out, as he again revisited the previous attack, was that she'd exploded after he'd touched her shoulder, but that made little…

He growled angry, furious at himself for being so stupid as he recalled what Jax had told him earlier. After what she'd been through, he knew, she would be hesitant to trust anyone, including the son of the man who'd rescued her, and yet Kitch had physically touched her, and though it had been in a kind, friendly way she'd felt threatened, and because of that she'd simply reacted without thinking, acting solely on instinct.

Approaching the small, crystal-clear creek, Kitch bent down and proceeded to open up the two canteens, dunking them beneath the water's surface and allowing the fresh, pure water to flow in and feel them up. Once done with this task, he cupped a handful of water and splashed it gently across his face, instantly making him feel better.

"You know, Cyndaquil, this is going to be more difficult than I thought it would be." He said with a said sigh. "Even if my luck at making friends was better than this, this is still beyond anything I've ever been through before."

"Cynda?"

"I know what she's been through; dad told me more than enough this morning, but still…I didn't think she'd been through enough to make her _that _defensive."

"Cyndaquil Quil Cynda. Quil?"

"Nah, I don't blame her Cyndaquil," Kitch answered, somehow knowing what his pokémon was asking. "I mean, I may only be ten but dad's taught me enough that I should knoe better than to make unwanted or sudden physical contact with someone who survived what she's been through. It's more my own stupidity's fault than anything else. Still, I wish I could help her, ya know?"

"Cynda Cyndaquil."

"Well, come on Cyndaquil." He said as he climbed back to his feet and took the two canteens back into his hands. "We should be getting back to Elianna so we can get moving towards Cherrygrove City."

As Kitch turned around, however, he found himself suddenly only an inch or so away from a pair of blue, sparkling orbs of pure sapphire, grief-striken sadness etched all over them.

"Elianna?" Kitch asked, wary of what might happen next. "Are you okay?"

Saying nothing at first, she took a deep breath, opened her mouth, and…

"I'm sorry."

Having never before heard her speak, he found himself completely floored. He'd been expecting it to be scratchy and cracked from not being used, but, aside from being slightly hoarse, it sounded sweet, kind and gentle, as though it could sooth the most savage of hearts.

"You talk after all." He said, mentally kicking himself for not saying something more comforting. Smiling, though, Elianna nodded her head.

"Until a few days ago I was never allowed to say anything, so I grew used to not having or wanting to use my voice, and that didn't change after I was rescued. I've not been able to trust anyone since momma died, back when I was only a year or so old. I've become so used to everyone hating and hurting me that I've come to think that's the way everyone's going to treat me, especially boys, so when you touched me earlier-"

"I know, Elianna." He interrupted. "I should have known better than to do that. Like I told Cyndaquil, it was my fault, really."

"Are you hurt badly?"

"Nah, it was nothing; I've had a lot worse than that, I promise. Of course, I didn't think a girl had that much raw power."

"Why didn't you defend yourself?" She asked. "Earlier, when I hit you…why didn't you hit me back?"

"Because, Elianna, it would have been wrong. I knew you didn't mean what you were doing, and I knew you wouldn't hurt me once you realized I wasn't going to hurt you."

"How? How did you know that?"

"Instinct." He answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Can I ask what, exactly, your dad did to you to make you _that _hurt and defensive?"

"I'm sorry, Kitch, but not right now. I can't talk about it, not yet; I need more time before I can-"

"That's cool, Elianna; I won't try to force you into. Just remember, I am here when you _do _get ready to talk, and things will get back to normal eventually-"

"Normal?" She asked, her fear subsiding at last. "Kitch, I don't even know what normal is anymore." She said sadly as she approached the edge of the creek, Kitch joining her. "All my life," She continued. "I've not really lived. Hidden away from the rest of the world, used as a punching bag, wishing I was dead almost every second of every day…Kitch, I'm not even sure who I really am, who I really was."

"I know what you me-"

"No, Kitch, you don't know what I mean, and if you even _consider_ telling me you understand me and where I'm coming from I'll beat you up again."

"You're right," Kitch said. "I don't know what you mean and I could never understand where you're coming from, but I _do _know that you _are _a strong, intelligent girl, far better than you've ever been given credit for." He sighed and took a breath before continuing. "Elianna, you've been fighting this war all by yourself for almost all your life, but maybe it's time you let reinforcements help you out, you know?"

"I understand, Kitch, and you can't know how much it means for me to hear you say all that, especially since we only met hours ago, and I appreciate it, but this is something I must handle myself."

A light chirp stopped either of them from continuing the conversation, and his guard still up Kitch spun back around, laughing at himself as he realized it was merely a Pidgey.

"Wow, it's so cute!" Elianna squealed, climbing to her feet as well. Kitch watched in silent amusement as she drew her pokédex from one of her skirt's pockets and aimed it at the small bird pokémon.

_"Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Common in grassy areas and forests it usually hides in tall grass. Because it is very docile Pidgey will chase off enemies by flapping up sand. If forced to attack, though, it can ferociously strike back."_

"It's so cute and small…I'm gonna catch it." She said, turning towards Chikorita, who was drinking happily from the creek.

"Chikorita, you ready for our first battle together?"

"Chika!"

"Elianna, hang on." Kitch said, desperate to stop her. Grass pokémon like Chikorita are weak and at a disadvantage when fighting Flying-types like Pidgey. Here, use Cyndaquil instead."

"Thanks Kitch, but no. If I'm going to become a real pokémon trainer then I want to win with my own pokémon, even if they're at a disadvantage. Come on Chikorita, I know you can do it!"  
"Chika!" The small grass type answered back, rushing towards the new field of battle, stopping only a couple of feet away from its opponent, which continued to peck at the ground for food, totally ignoring Chikorita.

"Use Tackle attack Chikorita, now; hit Pidgey before it knows what's coming."

Chikorita rushed forward, directly at Pidgey, and while Kitch silently admitted to himself that the small grass-type had fairly decent speed for this being its first battle ever he was amazed at how fast Pidgey responded to the attack; one moment it was there and the next minute it was in the air and descending back to the earth, Chikorita's attack now a failure.

"Hang in there Chikorita." Elianna shouted, encouraging her pokémon. "Use Tackle attack again, full speed ahead!"

And again, knowing the attack would most likely fail, Chikorita charged forward as fast as it could possibly go, but this time Pidgey began kicking up sand as fast and hard as it could, launching an impressive Sand-Attack.

"Don't let that scare you!" She called out. "Turn your leaf in a big circle like a fan and deflect that sand!"

Kitch couldn't help but gasp as Chikorita did as ordered, still running forward, and at first he didn't think it would work, he'd thought it was impossible, but when the sand failed to do as it was meant he knew that Elianna had been studying, a lot, over the past few days, possibly even for years behind her father's back.

Pidgey was too surprised to do anything as Chikorita charged through the swirl of sand, surprising her foe with the suddenness of her appearance before making contact head on and sending Pidgey flying.

"Okay Chikorita," She continued. "Don't let off the gas now; grab Pidgey with your Vine Whip attack and wrap the vines around it so it can't spread its wings and escape."

Kitch felt his mouth now hanging open as two green vines shot forth from the buds around Chikorita's neck, wrapping Pidgey in layers of powerful, thick vines.

"Now let's finish this Chikorita; swing Pidgey around and slam it into the water with as much power as you can muster!"

His mouth still wide open Kitch watched as Chikorita swung the helpless bird around in the air and then slammed it so hard into the water that it became fully submerged and made impact with the creek bed, sending dirt into the water and making it impossible to see Pidgey.

"Hang on, keep it there," Elianna ordered. "Almost…almost…okay Chikorita, pull it out of the water, swing it around again and this time slam it into the ground!"

And again Pidgey went swirling through the air like a load of laundry in the dryer, and using the momentum from the swinging Chikorita jumped into the air and slammed Pidgey headfirst into the earth with authority, releasing its hold on its enemy as it landed back on its feet.

"Okay Pidgey, you're mine now!" She shouted with joy, tossing an empty poké ball forward. When the ball made contact with the defeated Pidgey it snapped open, calling Pidgey into it in a flash of red light, and once it closed back up it fell to the ground, and then it began to rock back and forth, the button in the center of the device glowing and blinking red as it continued to rock.

It was no surprise to Kitch when the glowing red light at last disappeared and the poké ball stopped rocking back and forth, and gleefully Elianna rushed forward scooping the poké ball up in one hand and Chikorita in the other, dancing around as she held both high for all the world to see.

"Wow," Kitch breathed, his mind reeling at the scene he'd just witnessed. "Elianna, that was…wow."

"Thanks Kitch." Elianna said, moving back towards him. She stopped a foot away and stared at the poké ball in her hands for a moment, sadness once more taking over her face.

"You okay?" He asked with concern, causing his new friend to look up at him.

"No, I'm not okay, but I will be, one day." She said. "I don't really know who I am right now," She repeated. "But maybe this adventure will help me find the answer, maybe this is God's way to give me the chance I need to craft my own personality and be who _I_ want to be."

"I think you're right." Kitch said, nodding with approval of her words. "And like I said I'll always be here for you, no matter what happens. Friends from dawn to dusk, beginning to end."

"Thanks Kitch, that does mean a lot to me." She said, extending a hand towards Kitch after she placed Chikorita back on the ground, and with a smiling nod Kitch grasped her hand, pleased at how things seemed to have turned out.

"Now come on Chikorita, let's get back to camp and get our new friend some Potion to heal his wounds."

"After the number you two did on him we'll probably need to get Pidgey to a pokémon center soon; I doubt a Potion will heal all that."

"You think I went too far?" Elianna asked as the pair walked back towards their camp.

"Nah, not at all." Kitch said with just a drop of sarcasm in his voice, causing the girl to go into a fit of giggles.

* * *

{**Location: **Cerulean City, Kanto Region}

Misty looked up from her comfortable position at the side of the large pool where she held her gym battles, watching as the young Ben entered and made his way towards her, a worried and anxious look on his face as he approached her.

When he'd woken up earlier that morning, Misty had started his day by ordering him to pack a single travel bag, and not bothering to tell him what he was doing or what she'd decided on as his punishment for the day before she'd left him to his thoughts, and as he did as he had been told to do she'd gone around the gym, feeding the various pokémon and making sure they were all in good enough health to be released into the pool for the day. Once done she'd then contacted Professor Oak in Pallet Town to speak to him about Ben's water pokémon, and after that, an idea now in her mind, she'd avoided the boy all day, working to make her plans a reality.

"You wanted to see me, Leader Misty?" He asked, standing off two feet from her, straight and proud, and as Misty climbed to her feet she made a mental note of how he was standing, of how he was prepared to take his punishment, come what may.

"Look Ben, I'm sorry for going off on you like that last night." She began, feeling the need to apologize was at the front of her list. "I know you did what you thought was right, and though it was stupid your heart was in the right place."

"Thank you."

"Ben, you love water pokémon almost as much as I do and you have put your heart into training your three water-type pokémon, but still, you've not made any progress."

"I-"

"Ben, I've taught you everything I possibly can and it still hasn't helped your Vaporeon learn how to swim or your Marshtomp how to use the water attacks it should know by now."

"Leader Misty, it's not your fault." Ben said quickly. "It-"

"A friend of mine told me last night that regardless of what anyone thinks when a student fails in his lessons it's not just the student's fault but the teacher's as well."

"I'm sorry-"

"Ben, there is nothing more you can learn here in Cerulean City." Misty said, cutting him off abruptly. "At least, not right now." Misty sighed before continuing. "I'm not going to ban you from this gym, the only home you've known for the past year, but I think it's time you go out and travel around, find your own path."

"I know what path I want-"

"I know Ben, and it's a good path to follow, but there is so much more you can learn by traveling around to various cities and meeting various people. Now please don't think I'm abandoning you, because I'm not…I'm going to keep helping you as best I can."

"I understand."

"The storm is forecasted to break early in the morning, but that won't last." Misty said. "This is just the edge of the storm; it's going to hit head on an later tomorrow morning, so I want you to go ahead and get going before it does…I've arranged for Officer Jenny to give you a ride as far as Mount Moon at dawn in the morning; she said she's going that way anyway for her patrol."

"Yes ma'am."

"Ben, I want you to go see Professor Oak in Pallet Town before you go anywhere else." Misty said. "He's going to check out your Vaporeon and Marshtomp, and who knows; maybe he'll be able to give you some help in getting them trained right."

"Yes, ma'am."

"He's also going to give you a pokédex. Now, once you leave Professor Oak's lab you'll go to New Bark Town in Johto and challenge the Johto League; you can't challenge the league here in Kanto because I refuse to accept you as a challenger, and without the Cascade Badge you won't be able to enter." She finished strictly, her voice harsher, she realized, then it should have been.

"Leader Misty, with all due respect, isn't it against the rules to deny me the chance to battle you for a Cascade Badge?"

"It is," Misty admitted. "But I've already talked with officials from the Kanto League and they've given me permission to do so because you've been training her in the past."

"Oh, okay then."

"Ben, I don't mean to be mean to you," Misty said, her tone now softer than before. "I'm just trying to help you."

"It's okay, Leader Misty. If you'll excuse me, though, I'm sure it would be smart for me to make my preparations so that I may outrace the coming storm tomorrow morning."

"Okay." Misty answered with a nod of her head, and with a forced smile the boy turned and walked off, as tall and proud as ever.

"Azurill?" Her small, blue baby pokémon asked as it jumped out of the water at her feet.

"I'm sure he'll be fine Azurill." Misty said, trying not to think about how sad the boy must be at having to leave the gym. "Be strong Ben," She whispered low enough to keep him from hearing. "I know you can do this."

And as Ben left the gym's watery battlefield once Misty wished desperately for the comfort of one of her oldest friends, though sadly he had already left out for Pallet Town to join Ash in his newest adventure, and As Misty decided to take a quick dive in the pool she felt a pang of sorrow as she realized she'd be missing out on yet another of Ash's adventures, and she couldn't help but miss the old days of traveling with Brock and Ash through Kanto, Johto, and the Orange Islands, the last of which Brock himself had missed out on.

Little did Misty know, however, that she was being watched by a woman who now had a smile on her face, as though she were reading her sister's thoughts…

* * *

**So, what'd you guys think? It might seem boring, but I promise, there were several clues, big and small, that hint at what I have planned for the future of this fic.**

**Speaking of which, how'd ya'll like Pidgeot's return? I've always felt like them giving up Pidgeot was a big mistake, as it's one of Ash's oldest pokémon, so I thought I'd correct that mistake here.**

**sO, is Misty going to hit the adventure trails one more time or will she dutifully remain at the Cerulean Gym? Will Ash and May make up, and will Max ever get to finish his battle with Ash? What schemes will Team Rocket come up with next? Will Elianna's dad manage to track her down and silence, or is failure in his future? Will Ben manage to fix the problem with his two water pokemon, or is he, too, doomed to failure? Hmmm...only one way to find out...**

**Appreciate all of the reviews I've gotten so far and can't wait to get even more.**


	4. A Shocking Twist

**Okay, as usual, I don't own _Pokémon, _so get over it. Also, thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. Now, on with the story.**

* * *

**ADDITIONAL STORIES BY** Guardian Kitch**:**

_**Gates of Terabithia** _[Bridge to Terabithia]

_**Star Wars: Jedi Wasteland**_[Star Wars]

**_Sins of the Father_ **[Harry Potter]

_**Harry Potter and the Labyrinth of Evil** _[Harry Potter]

_**Star Wars Episode IV: Shadows of the Force**_[Star Wars]

_**The Bridge to Terabithia II: Return of the Queen**_[Bridge to Terabithia]

* * *

_**Episode 003: A Shocking Twist**_

{**Location**: Mt. Coronet, Sinnoh Region}

Now he could remember why she had once been the Champion of the Sinnoh Pokémon League, Imperious reflected as he watched the two Fire Blast attacks collide in midair, his Infernape on one side of the explosion and her Magmortar on the other, the flames so bright they turned the dusk of the setting sun into a brilliant noon for the next several seconds.

"Do not allow this to distract you, Infernape." Imperious growled, his voice silky as he spoke. "Move forward and finish this battle with Close Combat…do not fail me again."

"In Fernape." His original beginner's pokémon suddenly bellowed deeply, charging into the mass of black smoke, and when it cleared several minutes later Imperious allowed a smile to once again cross his face under his mask; he had beaten her; even after all these years she still hadn't become strong enough to defeat him.

"It's over, you old hag." Imperious breathed, looking across the battlefield at the woman who would soon become his next victim…but his smile immediately disappeared when he realized she had disappeared.

"Find her at once!" He bellowed the order, his men immediately saluting and breaking up the defensive circle they'd formed around the battlefield. How had she managed to escape the circle he'd formed with only his best soldiers?

"Even after all these years you still rely on others to do your fighting for you." She said, and as he spun his men charged forward, weapons drawn and at the ready. "I'm beginning to think you're afraid of me; do you really need all these men to confront one woman, a woman who, as you've proven, is no longer what she once was?"

"Very well. Belay those orders! Get back to the helicopters and return to base, all of you." Imperious ordered, giving the woman exactly what he knew she wanted. "Anyone who stays will die, along with our friend here."

The men shouted their responses as they offered their salutes, and without hesitation they all took off, knowing by now that Imperious was very much a man of his words.

"I do not fear you, I have _never_ feared you." Imperious spoke once he heard the sound of the helicopters rising into the sky, giving him the confirmation that they were at last alone.

"Yes, I am well aware of that." The woman spoke again, a hint of sadness in her voice. "It appears that the only thing you fear is death, which is why, I'm assuming, you're after the Elemental Stones of Life and Death. Apparently you've forgotten your studies; only a pure heart can access the other stones needed to bring forth the stones of Life and Death."

"Even now, as the Grim Reaper comes to collect your soul, the depths of your knowledge still astounds me." Imperious said, giving her the due credit she deserved. "Yes, I am aware of my studies, but don't fret; even as we speak I've ensured that one of the purest hearts of all will retrieve the stones for me, and then I shall collect the final two stones. I will be a god, magnificent in all my splendor."

"Years ago, when you defeated me to become the Sinnoh Pokémon League's new champion, I was proud of you." She continued, oblivious to the fact that her life would soon be over. "You had trusted in your pokémon and in yourself, and because of that trust you became the most powerful champion Sinnoh had ever seen, perhaps the strongest champion the _world _had ever seen; you took everything my pokémon and I dished out and kept coming back for more. It was the best feeling a mother could ever have experienced, watching as her son took the title that was rightfully his…have you never questioned the reasoning behind my decision to forfeit my rematch clause?"

"I did…for the first year." Imperious answered. "But then, as the trainers that came for my title got weaker and weaker, I realized that you had grown too weak yourself, and you knew it, and so you had decided to save yourself that humiliation."

"No, Carth-"

"You dare speak my name you old hag?" He roared, advancing towards her. "You dare allow my hallowed name to escape those filthy, dirty lips of yours?"

"I am not one of your little toy soldiers," She responded, authority in her voice. "I am your mother and I will call you whatever name I damn well please, Carth Wade Masters!"

"You will pay for that you old hag!"

"When did you become this monster?" She asked, not backing up as he continued to advance towards her. "You weren't always like this, Carth. When you left home to become a trainer so many years ago you were still a little boy filled with a wondrous innocence, when you defeated me years later to become the champ you were a strong young man, a young man full of life and hope, full of honor and dignity, a pokémon master that broke his back to uphold the laws of the Pokémon League…when did my son become such an evil monster?"

"Do you not understand, _mother_?" Imperious asked. "There is no good or evil, there is only power and those too weak to seize it. You were too weak to take that power; however, I was not. Those weak, spineless trainers who claimed to be good enough to challenge me for the title that I owned were too weak to take that power; I was not."

"I get it now." She said as though discovering an ugly, unwanted truth. "Your reign of evil, your heinous acts, they're just as much my fault as they are your own. I should not have hesitated," She said. "I should have fought you harder-"

"You fought as hard as possible, woman!" Imperious shouted. "You used every trick you knew, and yet it was not enough to stop me! You gave it your all, as the history texts will forever show, and yes, you were a good opponent, one of the few I'd possibly consider as being in my league, which is why I have come here today; I am here to give you the chance to at last seize the power you are so very afraid of; show me you're not too weak for that power and I will spare you your pathetic life."

"So that's it, is it? Either I succumb and call you 'master' like all of your grunts or I die, right?"

"You were once the Champion of the entire Sinnoh region, its most powerful trainer. You may no longer hold that honor but I know, I know that somewhere deep inside of you that pokémon master lies dormant, ready to rise once more; I am the only one alive capable of helping you wake that up."

"I am sorry, son, but I will never join the Shadow Guard." She spoke softly. "A part of me has suspected that you're Imperious, has suspected it for years now, but still, for some reason I've never acknowledged it, not to your brother and sisters, not to the Pokémon Guardians, not even to your sons, both of whom look up to you with admiration and love. After all, simply telling any one of them would have destroyed me."

"Aw, how sad?" Imperious mocked. "Please save me the sob stories because I couldn't really care less."

"Yes, well, as I look upon your dark figure now I am glad I never told anyone my suspicions, because looking back I see now they're wrong; you are not my son; Carth would never act in these evil ways."

"Ah, so you think denial will save your sorry li-"

"Carth Wade Masters died the day he became the Champion of Sinnoh and you, my pathetic friend, are nothing more or less than a monster pretending to be him, and as such I will do my duty to Sinnoh as a former Champion; I will lay you to rest here today…on this day your reign of terror ends,_ Lord _Imperious."

And with those words she allowed the bulky coat she was wearing to fall off, and as Imperious saw her wardrobe he smiled; she was definitely prepared for battle. She reached behind her back and drew a thin blade from the sheath hidden there, bringing it across her shoulders in a defensive position.

"Oh yes, the blade." Imperious mused as he drew his own weapon, a sword of similar make and design as the one held by his mother. "How many hours we must have spent sparring and training, you always telling me that the blade was so often forgotten in modern history; you did teach me a lot, and for that I must give you my thanks; it did, after all, provide the basis for my most advanced style. Now, just stand down and accept your fate as it is."

"Over my cold, lifeless body." She growled, now advancing towards him.

"Very well then mother, your wish is my command."

And with those words Imperious charged forward, his cloak billowing behind him like a trail of smoke as he brought his sword crashing on top of his mother. However, with little movement she not only swept his weapon aside to make the attack worthless but also drew a second blade, which she used to cut at his now unprotected abdomen.

Roaring in pain Imperious dropped back, taking the quickest of seconds to make sure he hadn't been mortally wounded, and after he was satisfied that his armor had reduced the cut to nothing more than a painful slash he reassessed the situation.

"Even today I find you full of surprises." He said. "But that kind of luck will only get you so far, as you will soon discover, very painfully, if I might add."

And with speed that he knew she must find astounding he rushed forward towards his fallen weapon, somersaulting over his opponent's head and landing firmly on his feet, now right on top of his weapon. Imperious knelt down and grabbed the sword by its hilt, bringing it up just in time to block a double blow meant to cleave him completely in half, his sword now firmly holding both of hers away from him as he fought to return to his feet.

Knowing that being locked with both of her blades wasn't what he needed, he quickly backpedaled, allowing her to regain control of her weapons as he now stood too far away for them to be immediately dangerous to his health.

He growled under his mask as he assessed his situation. There was no escape for him, even _if_ he could get clear enough to call out his Staraptor; if he escaped she would inform the authorities of his true identity and that would end the plans he'd spent half his life putting in motion.

His thought was cut off as she charged him, swinging both blades so fast that they were nothing but a mere sheet of silver metal, a deadly fan of steel that was quickly burning his way…her skills had definitely not grown rusty in her years out to pasture.

He rushed forward where most would have rushed away, Imperious thought as his feet carried him towards the woman who'd given birth to him, and that's the very thing he knew would give him the edge. Undoubtedly his mother had expected him to retreat in the face of her deadly and hard-to-counter attack, and that was what gave him pleasure when he thrust his blade directly into the middle of the deadly metallic fan, his muscles almost tearing themselves out of his skin as his arms fought to keep control of his blade as it tried to jerk free of his palms, and the fan stopped to allow him view of his shocked mother's face.

"You are not the only one who's been practicing over the years." Imperious leered, and without waiting for her to respond he used his booted right foot to kick her in her gut, and as she doubled over in pain he retracted his blade from between hers, and before she had the chance to move and stop him he swung his blade in a circular motion, intercepting not metal but flesh, meat, bone, and more meat, followed by more flesh, the blade cutting both her hands off at the wrist.

She screamed in agony as she fell backwards onto her back, blood now flowing in a scarlet flood from the two wounds, and dropping his blood-soaked blade to the ground Imperious laughed in a voice as loud as thunder.

"Do you not get it? Do you fail to understand that no one can stand up to me and emerge victorious? Infernape, get over here, now!" He barked, and no sooner had the words escaped his mouth than Infernape came rushing towards him, having silently watched the entire battle.

"Use Flamethrower to cauterize those wounds before she bleeds out; I don't want her dead yet."

And the woman's screams only grew louder as the flames made contact with her stump-ending arms, burning the flesh above her wrist while stopping the flow of blood, and as Imperious watched Infernape sear the flesh on her arm, as he watched the sleeves of her garments burn away, as he saw her very flesh, the flesh that he shared with this woman, turn black under the heat of his pokémon's flame attack, he smiled; he loved the smell of burning flesh more than anything else he'd ever smelled before.

"Don't worry mother, the end is still nigh, for both you and your pathetic team of pokémon."

And as she screamed in protest he reached into the satchel held on the back of her belt, and with laughter he retrieved the five other poké balls she'd stored there.

"Infernape, bring that useless Magmortar here, now." He ordered his pokémon. "Come on mother, don't die yet; after all, I would hate for you to miss the farewell ceremony I'm hosting for your pokémon as they travel into the afterlife."

When Infernape returned with the still knocked-out Magmortar two minutes later, Imperious instructed his oldest pokémon to drop Magmortar to the ground in front of him and his mother.

"Come on out, Gengar." He ordered, releasing a second pokémon, the ghost-type member of his team.

"Gengar Gen."

"Yes, I do believe she's too stupid to see the power she could have gained by joining us, but no matter, no matter; she failed, as all do when standing up to me, and now she will pay the price."

And without further ado he released the rest of her pokémon, all of whom were still too tired and exhausted to offer any kind of struggle as he prepared to end their lives.

"Magmortar, Torterra, Magnezone, Crobat, Snover, and Floatzel." Imperious said, naming off her six pokémon one by one. "Of all the pokémon you own you chose these to be your team; a powerful one, but a dead one all the same. Gengar," Imperious ordered. "Soul Rip, now." He said, naming the attack he'd come up with for killing pokémon without leaving any kind of evidence behind, physical or otherwise."

"Gar, Gengar, Gengar, Gen Gen Gengar, G…E…N…G…A…R!" Gengar chanted, ending it with a roar all who heard it would find eerie and petrifying.

"NO, DON'T DO IT!" She begged, but it was too late, and gleefully Imperious watched as all six pokémon fell limp and lifeless, Gengar having stopped their hearts cold, their souls appearing as faded shadows high above their physical bodies, all courtesy of Gengar's Shadow Rip, which was also responsible for everything going pitch black, the only thing visible being the eight pokémon on the field and their two trainers, Infernape watching happily and the injured has-been watching in horror as Gengar caused a red light to surround the faded shadows of the victim pokémon, and as each pokémon cried in pain, begging for mercy, their faded shadows twisted and contorted in every way possible.

"Gengar, Gar Gar Gen…G…E…N…G…A…R…GENGAR!" And with that final chant and scream, they exploded into an uncountable number of tiny shard, shards that quickly disappeared into nothingness.

"You're sick and demented." She shouted as everything returned normal, six pokémon now dead at her feet.

"No, I'm just gifted with power I'm not afraid to use." He said with a laugh.

"So, that's how you plan on killing me, is it, by ripping my soul from my body?"

"Mercy no." He chuckled. "I have something more corporeal planned." And as she looked up at him, her eyes now haunted and empty, he once again swung his blade in a single circle, separating her head from her shoulders, and as her head rolled along the ground it came to a stop, staring up at him, and using what little oxygen the brain had left the eyes blinked once, a single, final tear escaping the bottom of her right eye, and then she, like her pokémon, was gone.

"A waste of talent." He commented snidely as he recalled Infernape and Gengar to their poké balls, and grabbing the head from the cold ground he took one of her swords, leaving the other with her discarded hands and body, and silently he made his way back to her small retreat cottage.

* * *

{**Location: **Cherrygrove City, Johto Region}

As the sun at last began to disappear slowly over the land Kitch found himself, along with Elianna, walking into the Cherrygrove City pokémon center, having packed up camp not long after Elianna's capture of Pidgey, a capture that had taken her team count up to two, while Kitch's team still consisted of only his beginner pokémon, Cyndaquil.

"Hello, and welcome to the Cherrygrove City pokémon center." The red-headed Nurse Joy greeted as the pair approached the reception desk.

"Hello Nurse Joy, can you heal my pokémon?" Elianna asked, handing the nurse both of her poké balls. "I was a little rough on Pidgey this morning when I captured her, so she could really use some tender love and care."

"I'd be happy to." Nurse Joy said, placing both poké balls on a tray that she then handed to her Chansey. She then placed a second tray on the counter for Kitch to place Cyndaquil's Luxury Ball on. "If you'd just place all your poké balls in the trays then I'll get right to work on them."

"Thank you Nurse Joy." Kitch answered, doing as she had instructed. "I only have Cyndaquil at the moment, though, and it's not even had its first battle yet."

"In that case," Nurse Joy said after she handed Chikorita and Pidgey to Chansey. "I'm assuming you're both pokémon trainers, correct?"

"Yeah." Kitch answered as Elianna nodded her head.

"Then perhaps you'd both be interested in signing up for the annual Cherrygrove City Fall Festival. It's a single-elimination tournament held every year just before Halloween, and the winner receives a pokémon egg as his or her reward, along with a gold pen medallion as proof of his or her victory, a very prestigious reward here in Johto."

"Count me in." Kitch said. "It'll be perfect training for the Violet City gym."

"I'll do it too." Elianna said, smiling now. "Chikorita and Pidgey could use the practice as well."

"How do we sign up?" Kitch asked, excitement beginning to overtake him once more.

"I can sign you up for the tournament." Nurse Joy said, handing them each a sheet of paper. "Just fill out this information. You can use only one pokémon throughout the entire tournament, so choose carefully." She added as Kitch and Elianna began to work on the forms she'd handed them.

"Well, it's not like I have much of a choice." Kitch answered as he rushed through the information. "Cyndaquil's my only pokémon."

"You're all set to go." Nurse Joy told them once they'd all finished filling out the forms. "The tournament begins tomorrow night at six o' clock on the dot and will last for two, when a winner is determined. Trainers are assigned a number at the last minute and are then randomly paired up against one another."

"What are the rules of battle?" Kitch asked, trying to get all the information possible before the tournament started.

"As you will be told tomorrow night, the battles are all one-on-one with no time limits and no substitutions; the battles end when one trainer's pokémon is no longer able to battle, and again, you're allowed to use one pokémon through the tournament."

"Wow, this is going to be fun." Kitch said, looking over at Elianna, who was nodding her head enthusiastically.

"You have to choose your pokémon carefully or else you'll be unable to advance to victory. It's designed to test not just a trainer's power and skill but also their knowledge of both their pokémon _and _the pokémon of their adversaries."

And as Nurse Joy walked away back to her reception desk Kitch began thinking on how he would best approach the tournament. He only had Cyndaquil, giving him no choice as to who he could use, but he also knew that if he trained hard enough Cyndaquil could win any battle he was thrown into, no matter who it was against, and he knew he'd have to use that confidence to help him win the tournament, though in the back of his mind he wondered how he would be able to go against opponents using much more powerful water-type pokémon that Cyndaquil had no chance to win against…still in the back of his mind that little voice told him there was no chance of him winning…was that voice right?

While Nurse Joy tended to Elianna's pair of pokémon, Kitch, Elianna, and Cyndaquil took the opportunity to eat their dinner, using the free services of the pokémon center to pile their plates high and enjoy themselves. Even so, however, Kitch couldn't help but think on how he could possibly hope to win this coming tournament with only a Cyndaquil that had still to have its first match.

After they finished their food Elianna and Kitch stepped outside to enjoy the cool fall night air, despite the thunder rumbling in the near distance, a sure indicator that a thunderstorm was on its way.

"You're worried." Elianna said, as though she was stating something completely obvious. Kitch, in turn, sighed as he gave her a helpless shrug of his shoulders.

"I'm beginning to wonder why I decided to join this tournament in the first place. I mean, Cyndaquil's an awesome pokémon, but like I told Nurse Joy earlier Cyndaquil's not even had its first battle yet. I can't remember how many times mom's told me that nothing can replace experience in pokémon battles."

"True, but you've got to look at this tournament from a different point of view, Kitch." She explained, her voice as soft and gentle as ever. "The chances of either of us winning this tournament are next to none, but winning wasn't my goal when I decided to sign up."

"Huh?"

"Didn't you hear what I told Nurse Joy? This will be excellent experience for Chikorita. I trust in Chikorita's power, and I know she'll give it nothing short of her best, but, like you said, both she and I are inexperienced, and nothing can replace experience. _That's _why I joined this tournament. I'm really looking forward to what we're going to learn as a team when we go out there to battle, and even if we're defeated in the opening round, we're still going to learn a lot, and as far as I'm concerned that's the real victory."

"I know, it's just…I don't know." He sighed angrily. "I've done nothing but study pokémon for as long as I can remember. Learning strategies, how to choose pokémon with advantages over their pokémon, but now that I'm preparing to enter my first battle I can't help but wonder if it's enough."

"You're nervous, Kitch, it's completely normal. I bet your momma still gets nervous, even though she's a gym leader."

"You think so?"

"I can't say for sure, Kitch, because I've never asked her, but I feel it'd be a safe assumption to make. As some might say; the higher up the ladder you go the greater the drop to the ground, and being a gym leader's about as high up as one could hope to get."

"Are you nervous?"

"I'm completely and utterly terrified." She laughed, moving closer to him. "I mean, you're the first person I've had regular contact with for most, if not all, of my life. I know very little about pokémon, aside from what I've studied over the past few days, and Chikorita's had only one battle so far; I'm fairly confident I'm going to get out there and make a total and utter fool of myself."

"Then why-"

"Like I said, Kitch, it's for the experience. Even in defeat I know I'll find something to learn, something that will make me a better pokémon trainer."

"Can I ask you something?"

"You may?"

"After what-after all you've been through, why did you decide to become a pokémon trainer so soon? Why not take it easy and get accustomed to life among civilization for a little while first?"

"Because, Kitch, I have no idea in the world who I am."

"But your name's-"

"My name is Elianna, yeah, and I'm ten years of age, but that's _all _I know about myself. I don't know who I am as an individual. I have no personality of my own, a soul that's empty and blank, waiting desperately to be filled in."

"Okay?"

"Traveling around Johto, capturing and battling pokémon, is all but total freedom for someone, freedom I've never before known, liberty I've been denied all my life."

"Yeah?"

"Now that I'm free to do as I please, I'll get to know who I truly am, to learn my tendencies, my beliefs. Being free like this will allow me to learn not only who I am but, ultimately, who I'm destined to be."

"I guess that makes sense. That's the same thing a pokémon trainer does each time he captures a new pokémon. When you first capture a pokémon, you have very little idea about who that pokémon is as an individual or who it'll become. It's because of this that you train the pokémon, not only making it stronger and giving it the chance to be the pokémon it's destined to be, but you also learn to know the pokémon as an individual."

"Exactly. For ten years I've been told what I can't do, who I can't be, and on and on it continued, until now I've come to believe it. I didn't want to take things easy; I know I have to work hard to reverse what's happened to me so far, just as I know it's not going to be easy."

"No, but you won't be alone anymore, either."

"Can _I _ask _you _a question?"

"Of course." Kitch answered with a nod of his head.

"While I was with your father and his sister the other day, she was telling me all about you."

"Oh no." He groaned, afraid to know what his Aunt Jessica had told Elianna. "I promise, none of it was true-"

"Of course it was." Elianna laughed. "She explained to me how, from the time you learned how to talk, it's been your deepest dream to become a pokémon master. She told me that you wanted nothing more in this world than to go out, alone, on your own pokémon journey, to be the world's best pokémon master."

"Oh yeah, well, _that's _true, very true."

"So then, why did you let me come along with you?"

"Huh?"

"Your aunt explained to me how you you've always wanted to prove yourself, to prove that you could be a pokémon master all on your own, without any help from anyone. Why, then, are you so willingly to let me tag along?"

At first, for several long moments, Kitch remained silent, not answering her question as he considered what he might say or, in fact, whether he could answer the question at all, a question he'd been idly pondering since before they'd left New Bark Town earlier that morning.

"The honest answer, Elianna," Kitch began slowly, choosing his answer word-by-word. "Is that I really don't know."

"Huh?"

"Look, Elianna, I have a big family, okay? My mom was a pokémon trainer when she turned ten years old, and she won her debut in the Johto League and defeated two of the Elite Four before being defeated. She spent her teen years traveling around the world, placing in the top three in the leagues in Kanto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. She's perhaps one of the world's greatest Ice-type pokémon masters and a leading authority on the matter. My dad and his sister, my Aunt Jessica, have become world-class trainers and are even better Pokémon Guardians, my father being one of their top officers, and Aunt Jessica's not too far behind him. The youngest sister, Aunt Raven, is a pokémon bounty hunter, traveling the world to bring criminals to justice. Their other sister, Aunt Zannah, is a pokémon breeder with her own ranch outside of Goldenrod City, where she cares for pokémon that are injured or abandoned. And don't even get me started on my mother's side of the family."

"Wow, you _do _have a big family."

"Exactly. When it comes to pokémon, my family casts a really long, deep shadow. What I _really _want, more than anything in the universe, is to step out of that shadow, to have people see me as Kitch Kasumi, not the son of Mahogany Town's new Gym Leader or the world's toughest bounty hunter, or else the son of Pokémon Guardian Jax Kasumi."

"That's why you want to travel by yourself so much."

"Right. When dad explained your situation to me, for a brief moment, part of me felt like this wasn't right, like it wasn't fair. But another part of me, the biggest part, was relieved to have someone else along for the journey. I mean, I know what I want, Elianna, but I'm also afraid of failing, of messing things up, and I figured if I had someone else along, I'd do better."

"But Kitch, I-"

"I know what you've been through Elianna, and I think that's a major reason I want you along. You're whole life's been nothing but a continuous, dismal hell. I know how much my dreams have meant to me over the year, and I know how excited I've been to get my first pokémon. You've never really had that chance, have you? You've never been able to think about getting out on your own adventure, with your pokémon at your side. I-I don't think that seems to fair, just like it wouldn't be fair to just throw you out here with Chikorita at your side, when you've got ten years of pokémon knowledge and love to make up for. I figured that, with you out here beside me, I'd have a reason not to fail, someone to set an example for, I guess you could say."

"Wow Kitch, that's…that's deep."

"I know it sounds totally corny." He added quickly. "But still, I just didn't think it seemed fair for me, a gym brat, to get to live out his dreams when you didn't even _have _any dreams because of an evil father."

"Wanna know a secret?"

"Sure."

"I _have _dreamt of being a pokémon trainer, for many years now. My dad cut me off from all other Humans, but when we were at home alone he would make me cook and clean for him, and when he'd pass out or fall asleep, I was able to learn _some _of pokémon and those who trained them. I've always dreamed of the day I'd be able to train my own pokémon, the day I'd never again be so weak or helpless, and now-"

She cut off suddenly, and before young Kitch could even blink an eye she lurched forward, latching onto him and hugging him as though her life depended on it as her body began to shake considerably, and, even without the feeling of something wet on his shoulder, he'd have suspected the girl was crying. As his face began to turn red with embarrassment, not knowing what else to do in such an awkward situation, he simply stood there, not moving as she cried.

This continued for nearly five full minutes, him simply standing there as she cried what felt like her entire soul out onto his shoulders, the floodgates having at last opened.

"I-I'm sorry, Kitch, I r-really a-am." She stuttered, at last pulling herself free of him. "It's just that…I-I've n-not cried like that in y-years. My d-dad would b-beat m-me eve-everytime I d-did."

"What about when you were alone?"

She shook her head. "If he even suspected it h-he'd b-beat me."

Not knowing what, exactly, was possessing him to do such a thing, Kitch knelt down as that he and Elianna were face-to-face, eye-level with one another, and, not making a single sound, he reached up with his hands and used his thumbs to gently wipe the tears from her face, and, as he began to spoke, he felt a new, powerful emotion well up inside of him, taking control of his body as though it were a foreign invader seizing control of a new nation.

"I promise, Elianna, no one's ever gonna hurt you again, not as long as I'm around."

Her laugh sounded hollow and forlorn as she looked down at the ground.

"D-don't make promises you know y-you c-can't keep, K-Kitch."

"I _can _keep that promise, Elianna, and I _will_, okay?"

"Kitch, don't…my dad escaped, and he _will _come for me. His friends don't like loose ends."

Kitch, however, wasn't hearing of it and instead used his left hand to force the girl's face up so that she couldn't avert his gaze.

"Let them come, Elianna." Kitch said, for some reason wanting exactly that to happen, wanting to make her father pay for what he'd done. "I give you my word, Elianna, that I will not allow anyone to hurt you ever again. I have a family full of pokémon trainers and masters capable of backing me up _if _I can't hold the line myself, so yeah, let 'em come."

"Why, why are you doing this, Kitch? This isn't your fight-"

"That's the thing, Elianna, it _is _my fight, because that's what friends are for."

"Friends?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah, Elianna, friends."

She laughed, this sound a slightly more humorous sound. "I don't even know what that word means…I've never had friends before."

"Wanna know a secret of my own?"

"Huh?"

"Neither have I. None of the kids I've ever known were the kind of friends I wanted, so I tended to stick to myself."

"And you're choosing _me _to be your first friend?" She asked with a chocked laugh. "Maybe you need your head examined."

"Of course I'm choosing you."

"You're choosing a weak, decrepit little girl who-"

"Has survived a lot more than most people could ever dream to live through." Kitch finished for her firmly. "I'm choosing a kind, wonderful, amazing friend who loves her pokémon more than she loves anything else, a girl who's got the guts and fortitude to move on with life rather than let it hold her down."

"You're being honest." She observed, sounding as though this was the most surprising thing she'd ever heard. Kitch, in turn, nodded his head.

"I am, Elianna. I know trusting me is going to take time, but I promise, I won't ever hurt you, no matter what happens, and I'll make sure no one else does either."

"Thanks." She said, wiping away more tears as he stood up. "You don't know how much that means to me."

"Friends to the end?" He asked, extending his right hand towards her, and, with a smile now overtaking her face, she nodded her head as she took his hand and shook it.

"All the way, from dawn to dusk."

As the pair stood there, their hands interlocked with one another, Kitch couldn't help but feel as though something invisible and yet powerful move between them, as if some unseen power was making official their pact of friendship.

As the released the grip between themselves, yet another rumble of thunder, this one much closer than the previous, shook the sky above them, as though a trumpeter's blast heralding an oncoming storm. No sooner had the thunder ended, however, than a blast of lightening charged through the air, but immediately Kitch realized there was something odd with that lightening. Aside from its unusual pure-yellow color, that bolt of lightning had come from the ground up, not slicing through the sky from the clouds.

"What was that?" Elianna asked, staring out across the evening sky, watching the spot where the lightening had just been.

"I have no idea," Kitch answered moments later, when more lightening erupted in the same pattern. "But that looks a lot like a pokémon's Thunderbolt attack, and it's coming from just outside of town. That's odd though; most electrical pokémon only use that kind of power against powerful pokémon or when they're in danger-"

"You're not thinking-"

"Come on, let's go check it out."

"Kitch, are you sure that's wise?" She asked. "With this weather and the fact that between us we have only three pokémon, all of which are inexperienced-"

"I-I have a gut feeling about this; something's not right and I'm gonna find out what that is."

And, without waiting for any more argument, he took off, racing down the road and away from the pokémon center, Elianna in hot pursuit.

For as long as he could remember, one of the biggest lessons his parents, in particular his father, had ever taught him was to never ignore his gut feelings, to always listen to what his instincts had to say. He'd always had an impulsive and curious nature, and as such had often found his fair bit of trouble, and part of him accepted that Elianna might have a fair point in her cautiousness of coming out like this when a powerful fall thunderstorm was looming directly on top of them, ready to hit at any moment. His instincts, however, told him that something _was _wrong, and he knew he'd not be able to rest until he followed through on his curiosity.

As the pair raced through town people all around them were beginning to take shelter from the coming storm's fury, but onwards Kitch ran, even as the first slow, weak drops of rain began to land on his head.

Up ahead the small foot hills loomed, and, knowing that they now had to be on the edges of town, Kitch slowed down, slowly looking for any sign of the mysterious electrical attack they'd witnessed from the pokémon center minutes before.

"Kitch, I don't see anything."

"Keep l-"

Before he could finish his sentence, however, Kitch was nearly blinded by another powerful blast of electrical energy, but this time he could see exactly where it was coming from, and, not bothering to slowly assess the situation, he charged forward towards the grove of trees, carelessly breaking through to the other side…a decision that proved to be nearly disastrous. The moment he reached the other side, a powerful blast of electrical energy exploded into the ground at his feet, sending the young trainer staggering back as he brought his hands up to protect his now-closed eyes.

"Kitch, you okay?" Elianna screamed from behind him, and, once he'd opened his eyes and checked to make sure he still had the full use of his eyes, he nodded his head.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"CHU!" The pokémon scream filled the air as yet more electrical energy erupted into the world around them.

This, however, was followed by a loud screech as a powerful, silver bird-type pokémon dived out of the air, a blast of orange energy exploding into the ground and sending something small flying through the air. Once the dust cleared, though, Kitch recognized that small something immediately.

"Hey, it's a Raichu." He said as he withdrew his pokédex and opened it up, pointing it towards the electrical pokémon.

_"Raichu, the Mouse Pokémon, is the evolved form of Pikachu. This electrocial pokémon can attack with bursts of electricity exceeding 100,000 volts, enough power to render a grown Dragonite unconscious. It turns aggressive if it stores too much electricity in its body, and as such discharges power through its tail, which acts as a ground to prevent it from shocking itself."_

"What's that pokémon attacking it?" Elianna asked, pointing up at the sky where the aggressive bird-type pokémon was recharging following its latest Hyper Beam attack.

"I think it's a Skarmory." Kitch answered, pointing his pokédex at this other pokémon.

_"Skarmory, the Armored Bird Pokémon. Despite being clad entirely in iron-hard armor, its wings are hollow and light, allowing it reach speeds in excess of 180 miles per hour. After nesting in bramble bushes, the wings of its chicks grow hard from scratches by thorns."_

Now recharged from its previous attacked, Skarmory dove once more, zipping towards the fallen Raichu with amazing speed, and only at the last minute did Raichu manage to get out of the way.

"Why's it attacking Raichu like that?" Elianna asked. "Is that normal for a pokémon like Skarmory?"

"Dunno." Kitch answered, jerking the Luxury Ball from the chain around his neck. "But Raichu needs some help."

"But what can we do?"

"Skarmory may be a flying-type pokémon, but it's also have steel-type, and steel-type pokémon are weak against fire-types, like…Cyndaquil, let's go!" He shouted, throwing his poké ball out towards the stricken Raichu. With a flash of sparkling orange light, Cyndaquil exited the Luxury Ball, the flames on its back roaring to life as it began watching every move Skarmory made.

"Okay Cyndaquil," Kitch ordered, remembering the attacks his pokédex had confirmed Cyndaquil knew. "Let's give Skarmory a taste of your Ember attack!"

"Cynda Quil!"

Doing immediately as he'd instructed, Cyndaquil rushed forward as Skarmory began yet another diving attack, and, wasting little time, the beginner's pokémon responded with a barrage of warm, orange pellets that exploded forward from its open mouth, slamming directly into Skarmory's brilliant torso moments later, causing the pokémon to screech in pain as it diverted its course.

"Hey, you little punk, mind your own blasted business, will ya?" A man's voice boomed out through the evening air. "That bloody rodent's getting what he's got coming, so back off if ya know what's good for ya!"

The voice's owner turned out to be an older man, his body having long ago seen its prime, his white beard, mustache, and hair visible even in the darkening sky.

"Yeah?" Kitch asked. "Why don't you pick on someone you own size?"

"Like you?"

"If you want to keep hurting Raichu like that, then yeah, me. Right Cyndaquil?"

"Cynda!"

The older man laughed. "Don't think that just because you have a fire pokémon with you means you'll defeat me."

"Yeah? Let's see about that."

"This is going to be fun. Skarmory, Steel Wing Attack, now!"

"Smokescreen, Cyndaquil, let's go!" Kitch ordered, wasting little time in ordering a defensive move for his pokémon. Instantly, even as his foe's right wing began to glow in preparation for its attack, a heavy, hazy screen of smoke was erupting from Cyndaquil's body, completely covering the area in an impossible-to-see-through screen of smoke. This, Kitch knew, would lower Skarmory's accuracy, making it more difficult to spot Cyndaquil and thus more difficult to land any kind of offensive attack.

Nevertheless, undaunted by the Smokescreen, Skarmory dove, perfectly lining up its attack, and, to Kitch's horror, the attack landed, sending Cyndaquil flying through the air, along with his foe's laughter.

"Check your pokédex again, kid! That Smokescreen ain't gonna do nothing to Skarmory."

"Say what?" Kitch asked, again opening his pokédex.

_"Skarmory can have one of two natural abilities. Ability Number One is Sturdy, and makes this pokémon immune to one-hit knockouts. Ability Number Two is Keen Eye and makes this pokémon immune to the lowering of its accuracy."_

"Okay, I didn't see that one coming, but don't worry Cyndaquil, we can still win this one!"

"Not likely!" The other man shouted with a laugh. "Skarmory, finish this off with Hyper Beam, now!"

As Skarmory's mouth opened and the orange sphere of energy began to Form, Kitch knew he had to pick the perfect moment to strike…if Cyndaquil took evasive actions too soon Skarmory would be able to compensate and as such Cyndaquil would be a prime target, just as he know would happen if he waited too long to order Cyndaquil to avoid the attack.

"Hang in there, Cyndaquil!" Kitch shouted, still watching as Skarmory's prepared to attack, the silver steel-type bird landing on the thick branch of a mighty oak tree as it prepared to launch its attack.

And then, with the power of a bomb, the Hyper Beam attack exploded forward, and, waiting three long, dangerous seconds longer, Kitch finally saw his opening.

"Okay Cyndaquil, move it, now! Avoid that Hyper Beam attack at all costs!"

"Quil!" With that answer Cyndaquil was on the move, escaping the impact zone less than a full second before the Hyper Beam attack landed.

"Right, Cyndaquil, now's our chance! Climb that tree and go after Skarmory!"

"Cyndaquil!"

"Get back in the air, Skarmory, now!"

Skarmory, however, gave out a simple chirp as it weakly spread its wings.

"Guess again." Kitch laughed as Cyndaquil hurriedly approached Skarmory. "But when a pokémon uses Hyper Beam it's unable to move immediately afterwards, until it recharges. Now, Cyndaquil, let her rip! Ember Attack, point blank range!"

"Cynda…QUIL!"

The burning pellets erupted from Cyndaquil's mouth once more, and, having just launched its Hyper Beam attack, Skarmory could do little more than stand where it was, unable to move as the fire-type attack pounded it from the closest possible range, sending it crashing to the ground, its body now looking burnt and charred.

"Good job Cyndaquil!" Kitch shouted as his pokémon dove off the tree after his downed opponent, who was struggling to return to its feet. "Do you yield?" Kitch asked, turning to face his opponent, who seemed to be glowering with rage.

"There's no way some little punk's going to defeat me, not with such a pathetic little pokémon!"

"Cynda!"

"Okay Cyndaquil, Tackle attack, now! Send that Skarmory packing!"

"Cynda!"

Without further ado Cyndaquil took off charging, rapidly closing in on the battle-wary Skarmory, victory now in sight…

"Okay Skarmory, put this pathetic little punk in his place. Aerial Ace, now!"

With another powerful screech Skarmory was suddenly up the air, Cyndaquil passing by harmlessly below.

"Turn around Cyndaquil, now!" Kitch shouted, realizing the danger his pokémon was now in. "Defend yourself with another Ember attack!"

Before Cyndaquil could comply with Kitch's orders, however, Skarmory was diving, the air rushing around its head making it appear as though its iron beak was glowing.

"Watch out!" Kitch shouted again, but his warning was too late. Before Cyndaquil could get himself into a position in which he could launch his counter-attack, Skarmory's beak was making direct contact with the much smaller fire-type pokémon, an attack that sent Cyndaquil flying through the air, the injured pokémon now crashing into the ground seconds later with such impact that Kitch's heart nearly stood still.

"Cyndaquil, no!" He shouted as his pokémon struggled up, his body battered and bruised.

"Again, Skarmory, Steel Wing Attack; send that little runt packing!"

Skarmory again screeched as its right wing began to glow, and as that pokémon dove towards Cyndaquil yet again, Kitch knew he had only moments to act.

"Ember attack, Cyndaquil, now!

"Cy-Cynda." Though weak and injured, Cyndaquil complied with the orders of his trainer, moving into attack position once more and launching yet another volley of his powerful embers. Skarmory, however, dodged the attack with incredible ease, and seconds later Cyndaquil was again sent flying helplessly through the air.

"Kitch, Cyndaquil might have the type advantage, but Skarmory's too powerful and too experienced. Call Cyndaquil back before he's really injured."

"Hang in there, Cyndaquil!" Kitch ordered, ignoring Elianna's words as he watched Cyndaquil pull himself up once more.

"I grow bored of you." His opponent shouted as Cyndaquil collapsed to the ground. "Skarmory, finish this off now. Hyper Beam, point blank range!"

"Cyndaquil, no!" Kitch shouted as Skarmory landed only feet from its defeated foe, its wings spread wide as it prepared for yet another Hyper Beam attack.

"Rai ai ai Chu!"

With a blur of sudden movement, Raichu, who'd obviously spent the duration of the battle recovering some of his strength, was, out of the clear blue, standing in front of the downed Cyndaquil, angry yellow sparks hissing dangerously from his cheeks.

"FIRE!" The other trainer roared, clearly willing to take out both pokémon.

"CHU!"

A blast of electrical energy, unlike anything Kitch and Elianna could ever had imagined, erupted from Raichu, exploding skyward into the stormy night air. Unable to do anything but watch in utter amazement, Kitch and Elianna stood there as Raichu's electrical energy began to swirl around rapidly, and, seconds later, three thunderous bolts of electricity came crashing down on top of the battlefield, all converging on Skarmory and lighting it up like a big, winged roman candle, the other pokémon unable to do anything but screech in pain.

"Why you insolate little punk! How dare you?"

"I suggest you take your Skarmory and leave." Elianna said, her voice as gentle and calm as ever. "I have pokémon of my own, and it's clear Raichu isn't out of this yet, too. You're hopelessly outnumbered."

"You little punks might have won this round, but I promise you, I _will _return, so watch your backs!" He shouted angrily as he summoned Skarmory back into its poké ball with a flash of red light.

"Okay, Cyndaquil," Kitch said, the Luxury Ball in his hands once more. "You did a good job out there. Return." And in another flash of orange light, Cyndaquil was again in his special poké ball, leaving Kitch free to inspect the fallen Raichu as he hooked the Luxury ball back up to the chain around his neck.

"Hang on, Raichu, we-"

"Chu!" Though the electrical pokémon's voice was weak, the bolts of electricity that pounded the ground at Kitch's feet weren't.

"Raichu, calm down!" He pleaded, daring to take a step forward. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise; I'm only trying to help you!"

Raichu, however, disagreed, voicing his thoughts with another flurry of lightning bolts.

"Kitch, remember what your pokédex said about Raichu's electric attacks; it's strong enough to render a Dragonite unconscious."

"I'm not going to leave Raichu out here alone." Kitch countered. "He needs a pokémon center!"

"You can't get close enough to help him, Kitch, not with those thunder bolts shooting out at you every time you take a step forward.

"No, but my poké ball can." Kitch responded, pulling his backpack off and pulling a poké ball out from the depths within.

"You're going to capture it?" She asked, sounding slightly doubtful of his plan. Kitch, however, simply nodded his head.

"Raichu needs medical attention, and if capturing it means it'll be okay, then that's what I'm going to do."

As he finished speaking, Raichu, having heard the young trainer's words, stood up, turning its weakened body to face Kitch, defiantly staring him down as though daring him to follow through with his plan.

"Poké ball, go!" Kitch shouted, throwing the red and white ball with all the strength he could muster. In silence he watched as the ball spun through the air, Raichu's electrical attacks now too weak to block the incoming missile.

As it reached its target, the poké ball opened up, forcing Raichu to disappear in a flash of dull crimson light. Once its new occupant-to-be was inside, the poké ball closed and fell to the ground, where it began to rock back and forth as the center button continued to glow deep red.

One.

Two.

Three.

After the third roll, the poké ball stopped moving, the center button still glowing red…and then that light faded out, and, alone on the ground, the poké ball sat, silent and still, with an eerie finality.

"Wow, Kitch…congratulations." Elianna muttered in surprise as Kitch walked over and plucked the poké ball up off of the ground.

"Come on," He said firmly, holding the poké ball in his hands as though it was a sacred item. "Let's get Raichu to Nurse Joy."

As the pair turned and ran off back towards Cherrygrove City, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky above them, and following another clap of thunder the sky itself began to fall towards the ground below…

{**Location: **Unnamed cottage, northeast of Cherrygrove City, Johto region}

Nestled in the mountains northeast of Cherrygrove City, the small cottage was all but impossible to find if you didn't know where it was at, which, Duran Detreo reminded himself silently, was exactly the way his grandmother had intended it. Dressed in black trench coat that covered his entire body, Duran, with his medium-length black, spiky hair and bangs that leveled off just above his eyes, their tips colored a permanent crimson color, looked imposing and downright dangerous, a feeling that only magnified when locked on his deep, emerald eyes.

"You know Duran, you'd think a crippled woman like your mom would make her home a little easier to get to. Women who've lost part of their leg aren't supposed to be this active." The speaker was a girl about his age, her long, shiny black hair making it look almost as though it had silver highlights, her bright blue eyes open and taking in everything they saw. Her black tank top, with purple lines crisscrossing down the sides, matched her black pants, which, in turn, were covering black boots. In all, Duran reflected, she looked every bit like the powerful, independent, fiery trainer she was.

He laughed at his friend's words. Subria, known simply as Ria to her friends, was one of his oldest friends, having grown up with him for most of his life on Cinnabar Island in Kanto, sharing his love for pokémon from the day they'd met. Though she'd turned ten several months ago, she'd waited until his tenth birthday to begin her pokémon journey so that they could travel together, both of them having chosen Charmander from Nurse Joy on Cinnabar Island.

Shortly after receiving their first pokémon, however, Duran had received a letter from his mother, who he'd not seen in several years, requesting him to come visit her at her home in Johto, and, true to his mother's style, she'd left no instructions reminding him how to get there.

"Rule Number One when dealing with my mom; don't underestimate her just because half of her leg's missing. She'll still kick your ass in a pokémon battle."

"But why doesn't she live on Cinnabar Island with your grandpa? Why live all the way out here?"

"No idea." Duran answered, having long ago given up on knowing the answer to those questions. He'd barely known his mother during his childhood; for as long as he could remember she'd been a mysterious recluse, only coming to visit Duran and her father a few times a year, and during each of her visits she always seemed paranoid, as though afraid someone might recognize her.

"She's never told you?"

"Nope, and after the first few times I learned not to ask."

"And you don't find that suspicious at all?"

"Of course I do, but, for now, I'm willing to let it slide, at least, until I become a the master trainer in all of Kanto."

"Wonder what she wants you to come up here for."

"No idea, but I suppose we're gonna find out soon; her cottage should be just over that crest up ahead."

"About bloody time; my legs feel like they're about to fall off."

"Wimp." Duran laughed with a snort as he continued to climb the rugged mountainside.

"Well, we'd have already made it if _someone _didn't have to stop and battle every last pokémon we encountered along the way."

"What?" Duran asked innocently. "Charmander and Houndour need all the experience they can get."

"Yeah, well, with as much battling as they've done lately, I'm surprised they've not already evolved."

"Don't worry, the night's still young."

Subria, in turn, groaned. "Duran, can't you ease up off the gas, just for a few hours?"

"Nope, you'll never become a pokémon master like that."

Now at the top of the crest, Duran paused as he looked down at the cottage his mother called home, unable to keep himself from showing a slight smile as he watched the smoke rise lazily from the chimney.

"Damn." Subria commented a minute later, once she was standing next to her friend. "It sure is a small place."

"She doesn't like to waste unneeded space." Duran answered, taking his first step towards the small cottage. "As much a practical person as anyone who's ever lived."

The ground between the crest and the cottage was nothing short of treacherous, with lose rocks and boulders ready to give way to certain injury with the slightest misstep. Duran, however, laughed as he casually strolled down towards the small cottage, confident in himself and the steps he was taking, Subria following directly in his footsteps.

In silence Duran and Subria approached the cottage door, Duran now taking in every nook and cranny of the area around them. It wouldn't be too much unlike his mother to have a trap or two installed along the approach of her home, security measures designed to protect her from unwanted visitors. As he approached the front door, however, he decided there were no such traps…clearly she'd expected their arrival and had decided to make the approach as easy as possible…for once. Even as he raised his hand to knock, however, he found the door immediately swinging open, inviting him into the cottage's warm atmosphere.

"About damn time, boy." A woman's voice growled out. "I'd have thought someone with your blood and raising would've made it up this mountain a lot easier."

"Oh hush it." Duran answered, unabashed by his mother's greeting. "I was leading a tenderfoot."

"Tenderfoot my-"

The older woman, however, snorted. "Next time leave the bloody runt at home."

"I'll show you runt, you old has-been." Subria roared in outrage. Duran, however, held up his hand to stop her as his mother began to laugh.

"Runt's got some spunk, I'll give her that."

And at last Duran's mother entered the room, her black hair now fading to gray, the silver replacement leg she now sported proudly visible for all to see. "I'd have thought perhaps she'd finally begun to fill out as a woman should, but it appears she still has a ways to go."

"What'd you want me here for, ma?" Duran asked, deciding to get right to the point. "Subria and me have a lot of training to do-"

"That can wait for a little while." A new, masculine voice cut in, and, turning towards the far end of the cottage, Duran immediately broke into a full-fledged smile.

"Lance, you sack of crap. How you been buddy?" He asked, greeting the friend he'd made years ago as a kid, the man who just happened to be Kanto's Pokémon League Champion.

"I've been fine, Duran. How have you been?"

"Battling every single pokémon we come across." Subria answered for him, not giving him a chance to even open his mouth.

"Same old Duran for you." Lance laughed.

"So then, Lance, what are you doing here?" Duran asked, approaching the current Champion of Kanto's Indigo League.

"Your mother asked you here so that I could give you something." Lance explained as he bent down to retrieve something from his feet.

"What?"

"This." The dragon-type trainer answered, and as he sat back up his hands were now filled with a dull, black pokémon egg.

"What the hell is it?"

His mother snorted. "If you can't recognize a pokémon egg then you're no son of mine."

"Of course he can recognize a pokémon egg, you old hag." Subria answered. "He meant to ask what kind of pokémon egg is it?"

"Don't know, Duran." Lance answered as he climbed to his feet and moved to hand Duran the egg. "Your grandmother from Sinnoh sent this to me with clear instructions to get it into your hands as soon as possible."

"Cool." Duran answered, accepting the egg as he began to examine it more closely.

"So," His mother asked. "Are you challenging the Indigo League?"

"Of course." Duran laughed. "Sorry, Lance, mate, but it's time the Indigo League came home to the Detreo clan."

"I look forward to our match, Duran." Lance answered, making for the door. "In the meantime, however, I must be going; I have a meeting with the new leader of the Mahogany Town gym."

"Later buddy."

"Well, boy, you better be going. I expect to see you at the Indigo League, boy, before they begin, and I expect you to win it, you hear?"

"Yeah, yeah, I hear ya ma."

"Don't listen to any of the emotional bullshit anyone tells you. Pokémon are objects of power, Duran. A true master can take any pokémon and make it the world's greatest. Your power must always rule that of your pokémon, lest they become a liability rather than an asset. Don't waste time playing defense; attack first and always go for the throat, and never take any prisoners."

"I know, ma."

"Make all other trainers too afraid to battle you, and if they are stupid enough to battle you, make them pay for their stupidity."

"Okay, ma."

"Emotions are for lesser trainers. Never show anyone any emotions, especially your opponents; emotions are nothing but weaknesses they can exploit and use against you. If someone doesn't respect your power then make them _fear _it, boy. Make them tremble at the thought of what you can do to them."

"Of course, ma."

"And, most important of all; rule through the fear of force rather than force itself."

"Yes, ma."

"Go on, then, away with you. Make me proud, unlike your brother and sister."

"Kanto will never know what hit it." Duran promised as he and Subria turned back towards the door, his visit with his mother over already."

"Wow," Subria began once the cottage was no longer in sight. "Your mom's…one of a kind, as always. She didn't offer you a drink, or food, or even to let you spend the night."

"That's ma for you." Duran answered. "It might seem like she doesn't care, but by offering me no help she's made me more self-reliant, independent from all others, including you."

"What about your grandpa?"

"The old man's good and all; he is, after all, a gym leader, but he's a lot like mom, though not _as _hardcore. He's always let me do things for myself, letting me fall and pick myself up."

"Her advice though…she _does_ know what she's talking about. I'm surprised she's not a gym leader or Elite Four trainer."

"She's past her prime, and she doesn't pretend otherwise, though she'll still kick your ass if you're not careful."

"Like I'm going to do to you once we reach Indigo Plateau?"

Duran snorted. "You'll never be that good, Ria."

"Don't get me wrong, Duran. We may be friends, but I'm traveling with you to learn how to become a pokémon master, and when it comes to the Indigo League it's every trainer form themselves. _If _it comes down to the two of us, I will do everything in my powers to destroy you and prove my dominance."

Duran laughed. "I come from a long line of fire, dark, and dragon-type masters, Subria. Power's in my blood, and come the Indigo League I will prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I am _the _god of pokémon trainers."

"Remember, Duran, I know you, better than anyone else could ever _dream _of knowing you, and as we travel together we will grow closer, as friends must, and then, once we arrive at the Indigo Plateau, I will use that knowledge against you. I will destroy you, Duran."

"I look forward to the day you try." Duran said, still laughing. Subria, in turn, simply smiled. Neither trainer could even begin to imagine what future these words were setting up for them…

* * *

{**Location: **Pallet Town, Kanto Region}

Ash found the girl he was looking for leaning up against the same fencepost they had used the morning before, looking out towards the horizon in total silence, not bothering to turn around and look at Ash as he approached.

Staraptor had taken a severe amount of damage, but trusty ol' Brock had been able to treat the flying pokémon, his knowledge of pokémon medicine giving him just the edge he needed for Staraptor to make a full recovery, though Professor Oak and Brock had both agreed that it would be best for Staraptor to stay at the lab for the next few months until the damage was fully repaired. Of course, now that Ash knew all of his pokémon would be okay he felt guilty for having argued with May earlier, for how bad he'd treated his friend; after all, she had only been doing what she thought was right.

"Hey May," He asked timidly. "Can we talk for a minute, you know, in private?"

"Sure." May said, still not bothering to turn around and acknowledge Ash.

"Look May, I'm sorry about earlier. I know you were worried about both me and Staraptor…it _was _a pretty scary situation, after all." He said.

"No Ash, I'm the one who should be apologizing." May said, at last turning to face him, an apologetic look on her face as she spoke. "After all, I'm the one who started that argument. I was just afraid for you Ash, that's all, I was afraid I'd lose you back there."

"Huh?"

"Ash, we've been friends for so long now and you've always been there when I've needed you the most, ready to help me with whatever the problem was, no matter what; it would have killed me to see you hurt like that…or worse."

"I'm sorry for scaring you like that." Ash said. "It's just…Staraptor is my friend, he was the first pokémon I captured in Sinnoh, back when Pikachu had gone missing because of Team Rocket, back when he was just a little Starly. I couldn't stand to see him hurt like that, not when it was an unfair fight and he couldn't defend himself."

"You know Ash," May said in a voice that one would normally use when revealing a long-kept, dark secret. "I've always admired you, even more so than I do my dad or anyone else."

"Why?" Ash asked, finding her confession hard to believe.

"Because, even when your back's against the wall you don't give up and take the easy way out; you do what you think's right, even when everyone else is against you, and you'd give up your own life for that of any of your pokémon and not think twice about it. I mean, I care about all of my pokémon deeply, but when I think on what would happen if I had to give my life for theirs…I don't know if I'd have your kind of strength."

"Of course you would." Ash said. "You love your pokémon like they're your kids, and like my mom's always said a parent would die for their kids anytime, anywhere. You're one of the world's top coordinators, you just won the Johto Grand Festival a few weeks ago, you've faced down legendary pokémon, including Groudon and Kyogre as they tried to destroy each other and all of the world with them, and you never backed down, and while traveling through Hoenn and the Kanto Battle Frontier you all but raised Max yourself."

"I've never thought about it like that before." May said. "But still, I had a lot of help from you and Brock, and Max too. You know," She added, again sounding like she was going to reveal a deep, dark secret. "When I was on my own in Johto and I had to find extra strength during my contest performances I always thought of you; when Drew or Harley or Solidad got the best of me I'd always pretend you were sitting there watching me, and then everything would be okay and I would be able to come from behind and win."

Ash's heart was racing like a wild Rapidash running a marathon. When he'd gone looking for May earlier, an apology already formed in his brain, that's all he'd expected, was to apologize, maybe her apologize as well, and then the two of them going on as though nothing had happened, but this…this was beyond his dizziest daydream, and he felt afraid of continuing, afraid of what else might be said between them, but for some reason he just couldn't bring himself to end the conversation.

"You know," Ash found himself saying, unable to hold the words in any longer. "When Brock and I first met Dawn outside of Sandgem Town she told us she planned to become a Pokémon Coordinator, and for a second I hated her."

"What?" May asked, taken aback by his words.

"It was only for a couple of seconds, if that." Ash quickly added, realizing how he'd worded his sentence. "It's just…you and Max had just left to go back home and I felt like Dawn was trying to replace you…but then I realized that no one would ever be able to replace you, no matter how hard they tried, because you were one of the best friends I have or ever will have and no one can take away just how special you are to me."

"Ash Ketchum!" May scolded. "That was such a mean thing for you to say about a friend…but it was sweet too; you know, now that you mention it I think that has to be the nicest thing you've ever said to me."  
"I'm sorry about that too." Ash said before he even knew what he was saying. "I know there weren't too many times the last time we traveled together when I gave you actual compliments, compliments you deserved."

"Wow Ash," May said, now sounding as though she was about to starting teasing him. "You sound like you've grown up a lot since leaving for Sinnoh…you're actually mature now, not just thinking about gym battles, food, and catching all the pokémon you possibly can…you actually care about me, a _girl._" She finished, now poking fun at him.

"Well, a lot _has_ happened in the past couple of years," Ash said, his face exploding with redness all over its surface. "And after what happened in the forest I realize now just how much I do care about you as a friend, and just in case something were to happen to us in Termina I thought you should know that."

"Aw, Ash, that was such a sweet thing for you to say." May said, quickly grabbing Ash in a bone-cracking hug, a hug that lasted for five seconds, at which point May realized what she was doing and let go, her face now just as red as Ash's.

"Um…I-I've go-got to go get my stuff together so we don't miss the ferry." May stammered, and before Ash could say another word she took off, making a faster-than-fast bee line for his house, leaving the young trainer to his thoughts.

Slowing down as she reached the back door that led into the kitchen of the home Ash shared with his mom May could not believe the conversation she and Ash had just shared.

Doing all she could to slow her heart down and get it to beating at normal speeds once more she twisted the doorknob and entered the kitchen, shutting the door securely behind her.

"Hey May." Her mom greeted, sitting alone at the table as she slowly sipped the contents of the mug in front of her.

"Umm…hey mom." May responded, hoping mother wouldn't see how panicked she was. However, when she looked up at her daughter, her eyes narrowed for a brief second, and before May could get away she sat the mug down, motioning for her daughter to join her at the table.

"Is something wrong dear?" Her mom asked, and as May grabbed a chair and joined her at the table she knew that there was no getting away from the older woman now.

"Oh, there's nothing wrong mom, everything's just fine." May lied, forcing a pretend smile on her face, a lie her mother immediately saw through.

"May, I'm not stupid you know, dear; does it have something to do with the fight you and Ash had earlier?"

"Umm…kind of, yeah." She admitted, deciding it would be better for her to just get this over with, and as she spoke those words a part of her knew that talking about it to someone she trusted as much as her own mother might actually help her make better sense of what had happened.

"Okay then, what's going on?" Her mom asked kindly, patiently waiting as May decided how best to answer her question.

"Well," She began slowly, still not knowing just how she should word herself. "Ash came to talk to me earlier…"

"Okay."

"And he apologized to me."

"Wow, Ash apologized to you?" Caroline asked, causing May to giggle. After all, she knew how wild and out there her story sounded…Ash usually didn't apologize so quickly, and not without 'help' seeing how and where he'd been wrong. "Okay then, what did he say?"

"Well," May stopped for a moment, questioning herself on whether or not she should tell her mom what Ash had said; after all, the conversation _had _been in private and Ash might not want anyone knowing what he'd said. However, as she looked over at the other woman, she knew she couldn't just lie to her, and besides, she thought, as she opened her mouth to tell the story, her mother had a knack of finding out anything she wanted, no matter how secretive it was supposed to be.

So, without any further hesitation May began telling the story word-for-word, from the moment Ash had come up to her to the moment she'd entered the house, leaving nothing out.

"And that's pretty much it." She said almost five minutes later, now afraid of what her mother would say. "Oh mom I'm so embarrassed now, Ash probably thinks I'm just a little girl-"

"Relax May, it's not that bad." Her mother said with a chuckle. "I mean, you _and _Ash have been friends since Hoenn, so of course it's only natural for you to respect and admire each other."

"Hang on," May said, her voice now one of accusations. "You don't sound surprised-"

"No, of course not." Her mom responded. "It's been really obvious to me since you kids left for the Battle Frontier, even more so after you and Max returned home. I mean, he _did_ teach you almost everything you know about raising and catching pokémon, and though neither of you realize it you've taught him a lot as well."

"You think so?"

"May," Her mom answered gently. "Don't be afraid of what happened, and don't fear what you're feeling; you've both grown a lot since the Taracoda Contest, which of course was when you went your separate ways, and it's only natural that the bond between you has begun to grow into something more than just friendship; it's part of growing up."

"More than just friendship?" May asked, now confused about what her mom was talking about. "Mom, what are you talking about?"

"May, can I ask you a question?" She asked, not answering hers. "I promise, it'll stay between just you and me."

"Umm…sure." May answered, her chest tightening up as the anticipation of what Caroline was going to ask set in.

"How much do you care about Ash?" She asked bluntly, her eyes studying her as she thought of her answer, an answer that, as it turned out, required almost no thinking.

"A lot." She answered. "He's my friend, just like-"

"No May, that's not what I mean." Her mother interrupted quickly. "I don't mean how much you care about him as you friend."

"Mom, I don't understand what you mean." May said, the confusion inside of her quickly growing.

"Okay, let me ask you like this." She said, deciding to reword her question. "I want you to think for a minute on how you feel about Brock, Misty, Dawn, Solidad, Drew, and all of your other friends, with the exception of Ash. Close your eyes, shut everything else out of your mind but your friends and the feelings you have for them."

"Okay, sure." May said, doing as she had instructed.

"Now, I want you to think about Max, your dad, and me." She continued, and again May did as she was told.

"Okay." She said, thinking of her wonderful family.

"Do you see the difference there?" Caroline asked. "Do you see how much your feelings for your friends differ from those for your family?"

"Yeah, I do." May said, understanding now flooding her brain. "Brock, Misty, Dawn, Solidad, and even Drew…they were all the core part of the circle that made up her best friends, friends she'd do anything for, no matter what that might be, and Brock treated her just like a younger sister and Max like a little brother. However, her family was even closer, was even more important than the previous group. Even though he could annoy the stuffing out of her Max was her little brother and she loved him dearly, and she'd defend him to her last breath…he shared her blood and her flesh, as did their mother and father.

"Now," Caroline said clearly. "I want you to think about Ash for a minute, okay? Think about Ash and no one else."

"Okay."

"Now you trust me, right May?"

"Of course I do, mom."

"Okay, good." She said gently. "Now I want you to take a moment and think of Ash, allow the feelings you truly feel for him to enter your mind, and as they appear in your mind I want you to say them aloud. Don't worry Ash is outside, Delia went to town with Brock and Mr. Mime for groceries and your father and Max are over at Professor Oak's studying Ash's pokémon with Pikachu; it's just the two of us."

"Mom, are you sure about this?" She asked, feeling as though she might throw up soon.

"Of course May, you can trust me."

"Okay then." She said, still a little skeptic, but she _did _trust her mother, more so than anyone else, trusted her with her life, and she did owe it to her to at least play along and see just what she was getting at.

Doing as her mother had instructed her to do she began to think of Ash, thinking back on the day they'd first met, the day they had parted ways as they both headed home, one to Pallet Town and one as far away as Hoenn. She thought of all the adventures they'd shared together, of all the fun they'd had, and then she turned her focus on Ash himself.

He wasn't ugly, she thought, that was nowhere near the truth, though she felt like dying as she tried to figure out where that thought had come from and why it was the first one to enter her mind. He was kind and generous, though he was also hardheaded and stubborn, thinking about food, gyms, and pokémon leagues before anything else, and he could be mean when he wanted to be…but still, he was always there for her friends.

"He's one-of-a-kind." May said, not believing the words that had just escaped her mouth. "I honestly don't know where or who I'd be if I'd never met him. I admire him because he's made a career of going into a battle with no chance of victory and coming out with the win, I admire him because of the care and love he shows for his pokémon."

"Keep going." Caroline encouraged. "How do you feel when you're around him?"

"Like a little girl who doesn't know what she's doing and is afraid to make a mistake in front of him, like a child seeing her hero for the first time." May gasped, mortified at what she was saying, talking about feelings she didn't even know existed.

"I see." Her mother said, sounding as though she was deep in thought. "May, Brock explained to us what happened in Viridian Forest earlier, how you placed yourself between Ash and that Hyper Beam attack."

May groaned. "Yeah, so?"

"I don't like this question, but had Ash been seriously injured, or worse, how would you have handled that, May?"

"I wouldn't have been able to handle it at all." May answered almost immediately. "I wouldn't be able to go on if Ash had been taken from us out there."

"You don't think that's a powerful emotion to feel for a friend?" Her mom asked. "I mean, sure we don't want any kind of harm to befall our friends, it's human nature, but part of friendship is drawing strength from our memories with them and going on when they're no longer with us, living or otherwise."

"I-I don't…I don't really know."

"Hmm…I see." She said, sounding satisfied at last. "You can open your eyes now May."

"What was that all about?" She asked as the darkness lifted and sight graced her brain once more.

"May, the feelings you have for Ash…the bond you have with him…it _is _more than a simple friendship, such as the friendship you and Brock have. I think I know what your feelings are dear, and I bet you do to."

Again, she sighed, knowing that her mother knew the secret she herself had suspected for a very long time.

"What do I do, mom?"

Caroline, in turn, smiled. "We'll talk about that in the morning, dear. For now why don't you go get a shower and get some rest. After all, you have a very big day ahead of you tomorrow."

And, as May disappeared upstairs, Caroline's smile merely widened as she found herself wishing Delia would hurry up and get home…

* * *

**Okay, so what'd you guys think? I hope you all liked it.**

**First, don't ask me what's going to happen with Raichu, because I have a couple of ideas I'm toying around with. And yes, Imperious is the real deal when it comes to the bad guys, so there will certainly be more to do with him as time goes on. As for the scene between May and Ash...they should get together eventually, but it's going to be a while and a _lot _is going to happen before then, so stay tuned.**


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